Plank to Plunk Down for Mito Canada

Many of you may know little Kate Drury in our neighbourhood. She's been the subject of newspaper articles, TV and radio interviews and the Hope for Kate fundraising initiative. She's a lovely little four year old girl who very unfortunately is also the subject of a rare form of Mitochondrial disease.  Her symptoms include, among other things, developmental delays, deafness and bouts of cyclical vomiting. Her family stays positive but it's been a tough go.  For them and others like them, consider if you can help.

The non-profit organization Mito Canada is raising money to raise awareness about this disease and is doing it by challenging you to do two side planks and one front plank every day.  Your donation will depend on the amount you do (or DON'T do). Since I'm sure many of you have New Year's Resolutions you're hoping to achieve, this seems the perfect way to keep with the program and help out at the same time. 

For more information about this challenge, see https://www.facebook.com/events/267831169942642/
For more information about Mito Canada, see http://www.mitocanada.org/
For more about Kate's story, see last year's CBC interview at  http://www.cbc.ca/ottawamorning/2010/12/02/kate-drury-westboro-preschooler-with-a-rare-disease/

Hope for Kate

Last spring some of you may have heard of a little girl named Kate in our neighbourhood who suffers from an undiagnosed illness that causes many developmental delays and who gradually lost all hearing since birth.  She was unable to receive the cochlear implants typically given to help deaf children hear because of serious issues with anesthetic.  Some of you may have read her story in the Kitchissippi Times or the Ottawa Citizen, seen the interviews on CTV or attended the Hope for Kate fundraiser which raised close to $50,000 for the Community for Kate trust.

Well now I can tell you that she did get her cochlear inplants to assist in hearing and the surgery was a success.   For more details, or to donate to Community for Kate, visit http://www.hopeforkate.com/, check out her Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Go-Kate-Go/113508482008574 or her Caring Bridge site at http://www.caringbridge.org/.  Although many challenges remain ahead, I guarantee that it will make you smile to read more about her, her family and how wonderful it is that this step has worked out for her.  We wish her all the best for many more positive steps to come.

Community for Kate / Hope for Kate

For more information about this family and the fundraiser see http://hopeforkate.com/, the article in the May 20th edition of the Kitchissippi Times (available till Wednesday) or the segment that recently aired on CTV at http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100518/OTT_ILLNESS_100518/20100518/?hub=OttawaHome or got to http://ottawa.ctv.ca/ and search for "kate drury". 

PLEASE NOTE that fundraiser tickets are only available in advance - they will not be sold at the door.  ALSO, because there are a limited number of tickets available to the event, if you wish to donate but do not plan to attend, please select the "donate" button rather than purchasing tickets that you won't use.

This promises to be a highly enjoyable evening for a very lovely family and a very lovely girl!
 
Some background if you haven't read previous posts:  the Community for Kate initiative to raise funds for 2 1/2 year old Kate Drury demonstrates exactly how friends and neighbours in a community can pull together to make a difference.  Kate is a lovely little girl who suffers from a number of severe health problems including developmental delays and complete hearing loss.  On June 7 from 6:30 - 9:30 the Blue Cactus restaurant in the market will be hosting an evening of hors d'oevres, cocktails, a silent auction and raffle in an effort to support her and her family.