HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-11-01, Page 9Friends, family and the Vanastra-
area community are joining together
to host a Nov. 10 benefit to help a
local family and their daughter, who
is facing open-heart surgery later
this month.
With two healthy children -
Cordell and Paige, ages five and
three - Eric and Lori Kennedy were
surprised to find complications
seven months into their third
pregnancy.
Born on Jan. 2, 2007, at St.
Joseph’s hospital in London,
weighing just four pounds, one
ounce, Kailee Kennedy was
diagnosed with congenital heart
disease and Pierre Robin sequence -
resulting in a secondary cleft palate
and a recessed chin. The newest
member of the Kennedy family has
been able to visit home only seven
nights since her birth.
Due to her medical complications,
a tracheotomy and feeding tube are
necessary.
“This is something we never
dreamt would happen. We have two
healthy children,” Lori explained.
“Other than it being a genetic
disorder, we have no actual
diagnosis. The doctor told us that it
could be the beginning of something
new... it’s a mystery.”
Kailee has since been transferred
to the London Children’s Hospital,
where she receives constant medical
care. The couple travels to London
nearly every day to spend time with
their daughter.
And though both Eric and Lori
have been trained in aspects of
Kailee’s care, a 24-hour nurse is
required during any home visits.
“If I look back a year or two ago, I
couldn’t imagine learning all of this
stuff. It’s something I thought nurses
did, but it’s amazing what you do
when you have to,” she said.
“It’s very difficult to get care for
children with high needs in this area.
We’ve put a few ads in the paper, but
we’re no further now than we were
in June.”
Dividing their time between
Kailee in London and Cordell and
Paige at home, has definitely been
challenging, the parents agree.
But help from family, friends and
community groups like the Lions
Club, Kinettes and Kinsmen have
made the experience a little easier.
“Our friends and family were
really there for us, and they continue
to be there for us whenever we need
them,” Lori said.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by
how much people in the community
care and how much they have done
for us.”
Eric added the medical staff at the
London hospitals have also been
very supportive and understanding.
“They’ve made it 100 per cent
easier and we’ve developed a real
connection and bond with them.”
Kailee will soon be transferred to
Toronto for open-heart surgery on
Oct. 30 to repair her aortic valve and
two holes in her heart.
The Kennedys hope to welcome
Kailee into their Vanastra home as
soon as possible, but the medical
equipment and home care required
to make that possible will be costly.
“Some of the expenses are covered
by health insurance, but there are
others that are just at 75 per cent,”
Eric explained.
“Even with that 75 per cent some
of the costs are unreal.”
With hopes of easing the couple’s
financial burden, the Kennedys’
friends and family have been
meeting regularly to organize a
fundraiser.
“I’ve seen some of the bills that
Eric and Lori are facing and we’re
hoping the money we raise will help
cover some of those costs and the
future costs of caring for Kailee,”
friend David Whyte explained.
“It has no doubt put the family
under a great emotional and
financial strain in their effort to
maintain a sense of belonging and
family with her in London, all the
while still trying to work and live
with their two other children in
Vanastra.”Whyte plays on the Ringling Bros.baseball team along with Eric. Hesaid the Seaforth-based team will behelping at the fundraiser, which isset for Nov. 10 at the Vanastra
Recreation Centre.
The community-organized event
will feature a dance, silent auction,
from 7-11 p.m. and euchre
tournament, from 7-9 p.m. The
dance will run throughout the night,
ending at 1 a.m.
Age of majority is required and a
late lunch will be provided.
“We’ve held off on holding a
benefit event because for a while we
thought we were going to lose her,”
said Jenn Ducharme, Kailee’s aunt.
“But Kailee’s a little fighter and
she’s proved to all of us that she’s
not going anywhere.”
Tickets are $5 each and can be
purchased through friends and
family or at the door that night.
“I don’t think there’s a specific
amount of money we want to raise,
just enough to relieve some of the
financial pressure and strain,” added
Alyssa McLachlan, Kailee’s
aunt.
For more information, contact
Ducharme at 519-482-7984 or
Whyte at 519-527-2439. A website:
www.tcc.on.ca/~hcwcaq/RinglingBr
os/Kailee - has also been created.
Ducharme said response to the
event has been “phenomenal” so far,
with many area residents, businesses
and organizations offering their
support.
Anyone wishing to make a
donation “in trust for Kailee
Kennedy,” can do so at the Royal
Bank of Canada, through account
number 5041561.
“We don’t know what the future
holds, so we have to worry about
today, not tomorrow. Otherwise it
just gets to be too overwhelming,”
Lori said.
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2007. PAGE 9.
A family’s trial
What the future holds for the Kennedy family (mom Lori,
dad, Eric and children, Paige, three, Cordell, five and baby
Kailee) is something Lori said they don’t think about. “... we
have to worry about today, not tomorrow. Otherwise, it just
gets to be too overwhelming.” (Clinton News Record photo)
Little fighter
Kailee Kennedy awaits open-heart sugery.
Community holds benefit for family in need
PROCEEDS OF NEW BOOK
TO AID FAMILY
Excerpt from – Donnelly on Law
“Bad Answers
The cross-examiner has the advantage - but it must be
sedulously protected. The age-old advice promulgated by
Dean Smalley-Baker of Osgoode Hall “Take nothing for
granted”finds meaning in this anecdote.
At Chatham, I was presiding over the trial of a charge of
robbery. The gas bar/convenience store had been robbed
on consecutive Friday evenings - same clerk on duty. Each
time the robber wore a face mask with peep holes for his
eyes. The clerk describing the second robbery at knife-
point testified “He came in, brandished the knife and
demanded money. It was the same robber as last Friday.”The cross-examining defence lawyer
thought he saw advantage to be made and asked “If the robber was fully face masked on both
occasions and you could see none of his features how can you tell this Court that it was the
same person?” This prompted the deadly reply “Because he said ‘It’s me again.’”
The book may be pre-ordered now by forwarding cheque or money order payable to the ScotiaBank
O’Keefe Fund in the amount of $40.00 (which includes tax) c/o Joan Crawford, R.R. #2, Clinton, On. N0M
1L0 (Phone 519-482-3249). The book will be available for pick up at Fincher’s Book Store, 16 the Square,
Goderich on or after December 8th, 2007. If delivery is required please provide mailing address and
additional cost of no more than $15.00 to cover expenses.
This is Volume III in a series. Volume I - “Donnelly on Huron” and Volume II on Agriculture, Small
Rural Communities, Huron Historic Gaol, Child Care and Court Administration Transfer, in Huron, by
various authors, will be released in due course through the County of Huron
James M. Donnelly, Retired Judge - Supreme Court of Ontario; Vice-Chairman – Ontario Racing
Commission; and An Alternate Chairman - Ontario Review Board has written “DONNELLY ON LAW”
reminisces of 54 years in Ontario’s 50 Court Houses as Student-at-law, Lawyer, County Councillor
and Judge.
Five hundred copies being printed. Orders will be
processed in order of receipt. All proceeds in excess of
printing, binding and tax (unit cost $19.92) will go to John
O’Keefe’s Children’s Education Fund. (John, a Goderich
resident and Recreational Director at the Bluewater
Correctional Centre, died recently at the age of 45 leaving
his widow and children, Mackinley 12, Riley 10 and Kailey 5)
By Jennifer Hubbard
Clinton News-Record
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The Citizen
Brunch
Buffet
Sunday,
November 4
Stickers Family Restaurant
Auburn 519-526-7759
$6959:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
(Children 10 & under
1/2 price)