Kolby's fundraiser exhibition game a success
By Trail Champion staff
A fundraiser exhibition hockey game between the Trail Smoke Eaters and the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack raised $11,285 for Kolby’s Trust Fund last Saturday.
A special account has been set up at the TD Canada Trust branch in Trail for Kolby Zanier, daughter of Smoke Eaters assistant coach Barry Zanier, as she continues her road to recovery. Kolby is currently in Edmonton recovering from groundbreaking heart surgery — she has suffered from Alstrom Syndrome since birth.
Alstrom’s is a rare genetic disease that affects many organs in the body, including sight, hearing, kidney failure and liver impairment.
Most common affect is a decreased heart function that leads to the heart having difficulty pumping blood efficiently to all parts of the body.
During tests in mid-July at Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital it was determined Kolby Zanier would need a transplant and on August 28th she successfully received an LVAD or left ventricular assistive device — also known as HeartWare.
Kolby’s parents have since taken a leave of absence from their respective jobs — Barry a teacher in Rossland and Aileen with Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital.
The Zanier family also has two other daughters who have been traveling to Edmonton from the West Kootenay, costing the family a considerable amount of money.
The Smokies, like so many others in the community, wanted to help with those costs.
The Smoke Eaters would like to thank Patty and Terry Martin for spearheading Saturday’s event, and the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack for traveling to Trail to face the Smokies in Saturday’s game.
The 2011-2012 regular season home opener is Friday, Sept. 23 vs. the Westside Warriors at Cominco Arena.
The Smoke Eaters will continue raising money for “Kolby’s Trust Fund,” and are planning more special silent auction items for opening night.
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