Helping families of children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta to bring a little bit of our Hospital home.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). Before Paul became a Shriner, I had not even heard of this disease. Also known as “brittle bone disease”, it is a genetic bone disorder characterized by fragile bones that break very easily. A child born with this devastating and painful disorder is affected throughout his or her life time. There is no cure!
Our Exceptional patient, and truly a fantastic fundraiser in his own right, Carter Brown, and his mother Jennifer, continue to inspire other patients, families, and the community to riseup and change the lives of those affected with OI. Shriners Hospital for Children Canada officially launched a project that will provide OI families with an ultra-specialized first aid kit that will allow the parents to stabilize fractures in their children at home. Often parents don’t have immediate access to a doctor or hospital when a fracture occurs. Parents need to have the tools to stabilize their child’s fracture and ease their pain, until they are able to get to the hospital. You can read about this new project on the Montreal Hospital website and their Facebook page.
Many of you have heard of Carter Brown as one of our Canadian Hospital Ambassadors, and some of you have even met him. I had the pleasure of meeting Carter and I have been so inspired not only by Carter and his family, but by the strength of all our OI patients who fight every day to live a full and safe life.
As First Lady of Mazol for 2018, I have made it my goal to help provide our OI families with an ultra-specialized first aid home kit. The Montreal hospital is aiming to raise $30,000.00. I would like to be able to show all the Canadian Temples that Mazol can and will step up to the challenge.
The next time your Club is holding a fundraiser, may it be an afternoon tea, bake sale, a craft fair, card game, etc. I sincerely ask that you consider donating some of the proceeds from your fundraisers to my special project this year.
Where Healing Meets Happiness: we believe that by providing these specialized first aid kits to our OI patients, we will help bring more smiles and less pain to the faces of our Shrine Kids.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Lady Sharon Rose