Hope Save-On-Foods team member Danny Mayers will play a central role in this year’s B.C. Children’s Hospital Miracle Weekend.
The two-day event will see Mayers participate in the cheque presentation on Saturday evening and then try to raise his personal goal of $2,000 in Sunday’s telethon.
“Danny was selected from all the stores in B.C. as a team member to represent Save-On-Foods,” said assistant manager Michael Murray.
Mayers said he had always felt passionate about the Children’s Hospital. He recounted the challenges he had at birth which included having an infected lung that doctors had to remove before it grew into cancer.
After the surgery, he developed complications including air around his heart, extra lung fluid and his body did not absorb nutrition. After treatment, medical staff released him home, although he continued in a state of fragility.
Come Christmas, Mayers came down with the flu which threatened his life. He went to the Children’s Hospital by helicopter and the cardiologist on board did not expect him to survive. His doctor managed to stabilize him again, and discharged him after a few weeks.
A few days alter, he developed another respiratory illness, and he landed back at the hospital with his life at stake. Medical staff discharged him after a few weeks and life started on the uptick. At six months old, he finally made it to 10 pounds and gained strength to leave the hospital in March.
Mayers has given back to the Children’s Hospital. Previously, in four days, he raised $1,500 in four days at Save-On-Foods’ tills, and Murray noticed.
“Michael wanted to do something for me, so he looked into it,” said Mayers. “He made a couple of phone calls to the Children’s Hospital and they got me on the phone panel last year and they wanted me to go back this year and I wanted to.”
The event will be broadcast on Global BC and Global Okanagan, and there will be an online live stream on their website from 6:55 p.m. on Saturday and will run until 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Mayers will be featured on Saturday during the cheque presentation with Save-On-Foods staff and management. On Sunday, he will have one hour starting 11:30 a.m to call Hope residents to try to raise $2,000. People wanting to pledge funds to Mayers can also call 604-333-5443.