‘Donate my arm to the arts’: Nova Scotia woman raises donations for fringe community

The Halifax Fringe Festival is gearing up for its 27th season and one of its most dedicated volunteers would give anything to support the community she loves, including her right arm.

Her brainstorming led her to a Halifax Tattoo shop.

“I decided that I would donate my arm to the arts and if we raised $5,000 by World Fringe Day, which is today, I’d get the Halifax Fringe Festival logo tattooed on my arm, which we did,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I decided that I would donate my arm to the arts and if we raised $5,000 by World Fringe Day, which is today, I'd get the Halifax Fringe Festival logo tattooed on my arm, which we did," she said.

Hubbard has been a dedicated theatre volunteer in Nova Scotia for over a decade.

Her passion for the arts has helped her overcome a spinal cord disorder that’s severely limited her ability to walk.

“I will be paralyzed eventually but for now I’m getting used to the chair and getting used to the new lifestyle,” Hubbard said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I will be paralyzed eventually but for now I'm getting used to the chair and getting used to the new lifestyle," Hubbard said.

Hubbard has a neurological disorder that leaves her wheelchair bound for the majority of the time.

WATCH: At the 2016 Halifax Fringe Festival, Angels and Heroes in conjunction with Theatre Outré presents “The Princess Show.”

5:50 The Princess Show at Halifax Fringe Festival

“I have a tethered spinal cord due to two lipomas. So basically I have tumours growing in my lower spine that are basically killing off the nerves,” she said.

The illness hasn’t slowed her down and she’s managed to stay heavily connected to the arts through the support of the Nova Scotia theatre community.

“April does not let anything get in her way from what she wants to do. She’s the most dedicated and passionate fringe volunteer, she’s also the vice-chair of our board. If you’ve gone to the Fringe Festival, you have met April,” said Lee-Anne Poole, the director of the Halifax Fringe Festival.

The fringe community is raising donations to grow the festival that connects people to the most “accessible” form of theatre there is.

“This is the cheapest way to try theatre. There are going to be theatre shows that are $2 to get into and 15 minutes and you can give it a try. There’s going to be shows that are 70 minutes and 10 bucks. Nothing is over $15, it is hugely accessible. And Fringe is the place to find the weird, original, gems of shows,” Poole said.

Hubbard is grateful for all who have donated and hopes more funds will be raised to expand the arts community in Halifax.

“I just want to thank everybody who’s donated to the campaign, it’s still going on. We’ve reached our 5,000 goal but there’s still another 5,000 to go to reach our ultimate fundraising goal,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I just want to thank everybody who's donated to the campaign, it's still going on. We've reached our 5,000 goal but there's still another 5,000 to go to reach our ultimate fundraising goal," she said.

The 2017 Halifax Fringe Festival begins on August 31.