Pancake breakfast fundraiser a success
Posted Apr 21, 2012 12:03:26 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – A pancake breakfast fundraiser in Barrhaven brought the community together to support Hélène Campbell and her family.
Hélène celebrated her 21st birthday in the hospital on Wednesday and is still recovering from her double lung transplant she received on Good Friday.
She and her mother have been living in Toronto for months and Manon had to take an unpaid leave of absence from her job. The community decided to raise money to help with living and travel expenses as well as the medical bills and on Saturday morning the West Barrhaven Community Association wanted to help out.
In less than two hours the WBCA raised over $3,000.
Mayor Jim Watson, MPP Lisa McLoed and Councillor Jan Harder came to the breakfast along with hundreds of people from the community. Organizers worked late into the night decorating the Larkin house and were back by 6 a.m. to prepare thousands of pancakes, sausages, ham slices and pots and pots of coffee.
The fundraiser received a tonne of support with some families donating as much as $60 and $100.
Helene’s father, Alan, and brother David, came to the breakfast to meet with family and friends and to thank the community for their support.
“It’s been incredible. It’s lifted our spirits many times, and I know I can speak for Hélène when I say that as well,” Alan told 1310News.
And while there have been lots of ups and downs since the transplant, Alan said Hélène is staying positive.
“She was unable to speak for a while, which is really rare for her, she loves to chatter and talk,” he said. “And she was still, with facial expressions alone, making the nurses and the staff at the hospital laugh and so she’s really got that spirit that comes through anything.”
People at the breakfast were also signing cards and filming video messages to send to Hélène in Toronto. A bank of computers were set up to allow people to register online to be organ donors.
