recent updates

📍 This Weekend: Walk to Defeat Duchenne (Sunday, May 24th)

This Sunday, we are putting our boots/wheels on the ground for the Walk to Defeat Duchenne. Vincent and I will be out in the community, walking around Chinguacousy Park in Brampton, and heading over to Cardfesta at Bramalea City Centre.

• Follow Along: I will be posting regular updates on our Instagram Stories throughout the day. Please tune in, share the posts, or come say hello if you are in the area!

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📦 Upcoming Charity Event: Collectr Sponsored Box Break

We are incredibly excited to announce that we are teaming up with Collectr for a sponsored charity box break to benefit Defeat Duchenne Canada.

• Details: Official dates, times, and how you can participate are currently TBA. Keep an eye on our website and social channels for the official drop.

  
  

🏷️ Evolution of Our Name: Dropping "Trade-Up"

We are still actively buying, selling, trading, and investing in Pokémon cards to secure Vincent’s future accessible home. However, we are officially dropping the term “Trade-Up” from our branding.

• Why the change? The phrase "trade-up" has developed a heavy stigma in the hobby, often associating creators with pure flip-profits and taking advantage of vendors. Because our goals are driven by absolute necessity and long-term legacy, we want our name to reflect that. Moving forward, we are “Cool Trainer Vincent’s Journey” (or “Vincent’s Journey” for short).

  
  

📝 Honest Reflections on Substack

If you want to know what is actually happening behind the scenes, I have been actively posting on Substack. I am not filtering this. It is a completely honest, raw look at what life as a terminal caregiver looks like—as brutal, dark, and messy as it gets. You can subscribe and read the latest letters here: https://substack.com/@cooltrainerdad/posts.

📉 The Reality: Behind the Scenes

On a positive note, I have connected with a long-time acquaintance who is stepping up pro-bono to help me with accounting. They are helping me map out our monthly financial allocations and have even committed a small monthly investment to support our project. Having that structural eye on our assets is a massive step forward.

But I owe you the full truth. Lately, I’ve been feeling deeply depressed and disconnected.

It is incredibly disheartening to connect with folks who commit to helping us, only to watch them disappear. Getting ghosted on follow-ups when you are fighting against a ticking clock is exhausting. It leaves me feeling discouraged, yet I am still expected to salvage a fading light.

We are pushing forward because we have no choice, but the weight is real. Thank you to everyone who continues to stand by us, reply to the messages, and keep Vincent's light burning.

Trust the process.