EMERALD PARK, Sask. – Over 100 people took to the ice to enjoy the last ever Skate4Smiles on Sunday.
“It was born out of tragedy,” said Carla Ellert of the afternoon event held at Communiskate Rink.
Ellert’s son Dawson died in 2010 at age eight from a stroke after a brain tumor was removed.
She said that the boy’s care was fine but found the family’s accommodations lacking at the Regina and Saskatoon hospitals they attended.
“We wanted to do what we could for families in Saskatchewan that went through the same thing that we went through,” said Carla.
Not including Sunday’s intake, about $390,000 had been raised since the first event five years ago. The money will go to creating a family quiet room in the Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan.
“It’ll take care of the emotional needs of the child and the emotional needs of the family and keep families together when they are dealing with something that is completely beyond their control,” said Kristina Konchak, major gifts manager at the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan.
Although the event has run its course, fundraising will continue on the Skate4Smiles’ website.
“Grief, it’s a crazy process, it’s a journey. It’s time. We’ve had a good run. We’ve wanted to keep our son’s memory alive, his legacy alive, and I think we’ve done that,” said Carla.
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