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Golf tourney helps families facing organ transplants
The Children’s Organ Transplant Society invites all to golf for a good cause this Thursday, May 18 at their fundraiser at Quilchena Golf and Country Club. All funds raised through the tournament go to help families facing pediatric organ transplant.
The
Children’s Organ Transplant Society invites all to golf for a good cause this
Thursday, May 18 at their fundraiser at Quilchena Golf and Country Club.
All
funds raised through the tournament go to help families facing pediatric organ
transplant.
When
your child needs an organ transplant, the shock reverberates around the family.
The transplant society offers a chance to be with other parents who know
first-hand the journey from first hearing the news to transplant and recovery.
The
society also offers support for siblings, the people often forgotten while
parents worry and rush to the hospital with their sick child. Lastly, though
anti-rejection meds are covered by MSP, the society offers financial support
for families needing help with much-needed drugs, supplies and equipment not
paid by MSP.
Faysal
Elmi knows firsthand the challenges families face.
“My son started out being a little bit
different. He was born at Burnaby Hospital but transferred to (BC Women’s and)
Children’s (Hospital) where the doctor at the time said one out of every 10,000
boys will get this bad luck and unfortunately this time, it’s your son. For the first four years we spent a lot of
time at the hospital.”
As
a newborn, Najib couldn’t urinate because of a blockage. Before the cause was discovered, the urine
back-up damaged both his kidneys. When
he was a year old, one shut down and had to be removed then, after six or seven
years, the other kidney started failing.
He
needed a transplant. Faysal was a good match for his son so, four years ago, he
donated one of his kidneys to seven year-old Najib.
Faysal
speaks highly of all the care his son received.
“COTS
provided us with lots of stuff,” he said, such as supplies that they needed but
weren’t covered by MSP. He also speaks
highly of the Canadian medical system and BC Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
To
continue the society’s good work, people are encouraged to support COTS
Children’s Charity Classic Golf Tournament at the Quilchena Golf and Country
Club, Thursday, May 18.
It
promises to be an entire day of fun with a good purpose, with an 11 a.m.
registration, 1:30 p.m. shot gun start, and a buffet dinner at 6 p.m.
With
your registration fee comes your green fees, a barbeque lunch, a motorized golf
cart, and the buffet dinner.
Online
registration closes at 4 p.m., Wednesday May 17.
For
information or to register go to tinyurl.com/QuilchenaTransplant
And
how is Najib doing now that he’s had his transplant? His proud father, Faysal
says: “He’ll be 12 in September. He’s
doing really, really well.”
After
all they’ve been through as a family, he adds: “One thing I learned over the
years, I met so many people’s families; when I hear their stories, some of the
things other people go through, we have nothing to complain about.”