“To The Delta is thus as much a rallying cry to reach the end of the river, as it is the desire to embrace and look for change - whether it'd be in someone else's life, or within me.”
With great gratitude and admiration, we would like to thank Louis Galtié on behalf of the Heart 4 Heart Charity for pursuing a solo fundraising project. Louis will be canoeing down the Danube River, from the Black Forest to the Black Sea starting on May 12th, 2017. You can support him on his gofundme page and follow his journey by checking out his website and Instagram.
Best of Luck &
Safe Travels, Louis!
Louis Galtié first came up with the project idea as a personal challenge, testament to his endless efforts to push his limits. However, as he continued to develop the idea, he realized that he wanted to make something more out of this journey. That’s when he reached out to Heart 4 Heart.
Together, we hope to make a difference in childrens’ lives, so that they too run, play, and share Louis’ passion of exploring their limits. “I'm incredibly lucky to be able to run around, play rugby, or paddle to wherever - and there is something utterly unfair to be denied this.”
To The Delta is a 2,621 km long trip down the Danube River, beginning from Ulm, Germany and ending after the Danube’s delta in Sfanta Gheorge, Romania. The journey will take up to 65 days to complete. During that time, Louis plans to do plenty of writing and self- reflection as he canoes down the river.
Louis Galtie was born in France in 1992, but moved frequently to follow his father’s career. His family moved to Japan in 2002 where Louis spent another eight years around Asia before enrolling at McGill University’s Desautels School of Business to study Finance & Strategy.
While at McGill, Louis joined the rugby team, making the varsity team in the second, third and fourth years of his undergraduate, developing a deep passion for the sport. After graduation in 2013, he moved to Sydney, Australia for a job at Pernod Ricard, where he hoped to continue playing rugby.
Unfortunately, a string of injuries forced Louis to take on other sporting activities. He started running regularly in the vivid landscapes of the Down Under, eventually finding himself running the 100 kilometre-long Ultra Trail Australia in May, 2014 as his first race. While he was keen to push his limits, he unfortunately was unable to complete the race and had to pull out at the 60 km mark, pained and with a bruised ego. However, despite the failure of his first race, he was hooked onto ultra-distance running and eager to break past his limits. After intensive training and various shorter races such as Spartan-style races and triathlons, he attempted the UTA100 once more in 2016, this time conquering it in 20 hours and 11 minutes. Still eager to push his limits, Louis then signed up for the 102 kilometre-long Tarawera in New Zealand, this time completing the race in only 15 hours.
Now back in Europe, Louis is taking on the greatest challenge of his life. Although he has never canoed for extended periods of time before, he is eager to tackle the Danube river to fully explore and go beyond his limits once again
Household Income: $5/day
Hospital: Hospital St. Damien
Cath Date: To be confirmed
Needed: $1300 CAD
Jamima was born with a hole in her heart. She has been ill constantly since birth because of her heart condition. She has frequent upper respiratory infections and palpitations and often experiences shortness of breath. She tires easily and therefore does not have the energy to play like a normal 3-year-old. Jamima lives with her aunt who cares for her while her parents work to help provide some basic necessities for the family. Jemima’s father is a fisherman and her mother sells the fish they catch. They are often away for long periods of time. The frequent illnesses, need for medications and transportation costs to and from the hospital all put additional stress on this family who already struggles. They will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have their daughter’s heart healed.
Jamima
Resides in: Petionville, Haiti
Birth Date: March 8, 2014
Age: 3 years old
Number of Family Members: 3