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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-11-29, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012. St. Anne’s raises $4K Auburn-area native raises PH awareness An inspiration Tristan Mero lived just a few days short of nine months due to his bout with Pulmonary Hypertension, but he has since inspired many to take up the cause that took his life, such as his aunts Angelika and Andrea Sturzenegger. With Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) Awareness Month wrapping up, a community native has made her way back to the area to help raise the illness’s profile, and hopefully some money, for a cause that’s awfully close to her heart. Angelika Sturzenegger, originally from the Auburn area, has been canvassing local businesses and speaking to service groups and churches about the cause and has found plenty of people willing to listen. Her nephew Tristan Mero first introduced her to the illness as on Dec. 6, 2011 he was born with PH. On Sept. 4, 2012, after a lengthy battle with numerous complications due to the illness, Tristan went into cardiac arrest and died two days short of turning nine months old. Soon after, Sturzenegger took up her nephew’s cause and has had a very successful month. She and her sister, Andrea Sturzenegger, have been working hard all month to spread the word and collect donations. At the time of publication, the girls had raised nearly $2,200, over double their original goal of $1,000. Their personal page can be viewed at http://phacanada.akaraisin.com/ personalpledges/b8e15976026149ed 800949891c52ad92 In an interview with The Citizen, Angelika said that one of the greatest challenges associated with the illness is lack of awareness. There is no cure for PH. At the time of this writing, Sturzenegger said she had just finished canvassing the Listowel area and that she would be doing the same in the Blyth and Auburn areas this week. Sturzenegger is currently attending nursing school at McMaster University, where she has spoken to her fellow nursingstudents on the subject several times.She is the daughter of Trudy andHans Sturzenegger, who live on Blyth Road. Those looking to donate to the girls’ cause can look her up at thewebsite quoted above, e-mail her atsturzenegger.angelika@gmail.com or give her a call at 519- 362-7381. By Rachel Robinson St. Anne’s continues to be a very active and exciting place. Our ‘Me to We’ group hosted a wonderful Christmas concert and dinner raising over $4,000 for an agricultural school in rural Kenya. Our God Squad begins their Advent Campaign this week and all period four classes are keen to help by donating used coats for our aboriginal brothers and sisters in Kasheshewan, bringing in baby clothes for Room to Grow or by donating Christmas items for teenagers. It’s beginning to look at lot like THE EDITOR, The signs of Christmas are everywhere, silver bells, pageants, carollers, shopping and wrapping of gifts, baking and other festivities. However, for some families who have experienced illness, grief and the death of a loved one, this is a very painful time of year. It may leave them with sadness, pain, exhaustion, anger and dread. The empty chair at the table, the person missing at the Christmas tree, the family gatherings all remind us of the losses we have experienced. The grief journey is unique to each person. We urge you to be kind to yourself and do what is right for you this year – that may mean not cooking the large turkey dinner or buying as many gifts or feeling obligated to visit when you don’t have energy. We also encourage you to spend time with people who will be able to support you and care for you and allow you to just ‘be’. Huron Hospice Volunteer Service wants to help make this season a little more ‘bearable’ for the month of December. We have placed a Memorial Tree in the Wingham Hospital – Terrace Room and one at the Seaforth Hospital for anyone to come and place a memento in memory of your loved one. You can bring your own, or use one that is provided. We invite you to come and sit with the memories of your loved one and perhaps write a thought or memory in the Memory Book. Our hope is that this Christmas season will be a time of remembering your loved ones. Sincerely, Huron Hospice Volunteer Service Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, Shirley Dinsmore and Kathy Procter. 222 Josephine St., Wingham 519-357-3466 We have Fair Trade and Organic • Coffee & Tea • Hot Cocoa • Chocolate Great for Stocking Stuffers Fair Trade Products 120 Inkerman St. E., Listowel 519-291-4920 Subscribe to The Citizen and have a monthly chance to WIN A PIZZA 422 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4303 Once a month we will draw a name of someone who has renewed their subscription or bought a new subscription toThe Citizen to win a GIFT CERTIFICATEfor a LARGE 4-ITEM PIZZA from Letter to the Editor Huron Hospice places Memory Tree in Wingham By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen Continued on page 23