Fundraisers and Charity sports events are a most impactful way to help combat deadly illnesses and diseases, but also to bring awareness to the community. The way these events bring people together to provide support to struggling families is surreal.
On Saturday, September 16th, 2023 ‘Trikafta for Chanelle- Ball Hockey Tournament’ was hosted to raise funds for community member, Chanelle LaFleche, for her to get a potentially life-saving medical treatment, Trifakta. Chanelle was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis and the coverage for her treatment has been denied, even with doctors championing for her to get funding and grants to cover the immense medical expense. With this treatment she can increase her life expectancy by over 45 years!
Longtime friend, Aidan Proulx, organized the event with such a positive response from businesses around the city. 17 businesses sponsored the event, and many volunteers came together to ref, man the canteen, sell raffle and 50/50 tickets, and to provide medical support.
6 teams, consisting of amateur and league players, began the day of competitive, yet fun play. Playing fiercely, albeit sometimes too fierce, the players immersed themselves into the tournament. The gym was full of comradery, competitiveness, and compassion for why they were playing. Keeping the day in-line with the initial directive of a charity event, the team ‘The Scrubs’, came away to win the day, with ‘The Average Jocks Podcast’, claiming second and gifting their winnings to the event! A special player, Joel Campeau, won the 50/50 draw at 4pm and promptly donated the whole of the amount right back to Chanelle and her family!
With the day being as successful as it was, the organizers are hoping to make the event annual to help bring awareness for such a devastating and debilitating illness.
A huge thank you to all the volunteers, the businesses, community members and organizers of the event to help make this as successful as it was. Your contributions were impactful in a way that can’t be described with words. While the event raised over $4,000.00 for Chanelle; it is far from the much needed $300,000 for her treatment. To learn more about Trifakta, or Chanelles’s fight with Cystic Fibrosis, please visit our social media page on Facebook and Instagram ‘Trifakta for Chanelle’, click the links below to her infographic, and her GoFundMe page at bit.ly/3rmvuXJ to donate and help Chanelle get the treatment she needs!
