Marco Bulfon鈥檚 little sister Eliana was only two months old when a common cold put her life in jeopardy.
鈥淏ecause she was so little, she stopped eating and became lethargic,鈥� mom Emma said. 鈥淲e were in the city already so we spent several hours at Stollery Children鈥檚 Hospital, they unplugged her nose and fixed her up.鈥�
Marco, now eight, was only about five then. Last year, when he was seven and she about two, their family endured another tense episode as a case of pneumonia had Eliana in such a state that the family was on a two-hour notice to fly out from the local hospital to Edmonton. The same bug hospitalized Emma, too, and Marco caught it later in the season.
All of this left an impression on the young Jasperite, who last year expressed an interest to fundraise for Stollery Children鈥檚 Hospital Foundation, which supports programs, training and research at the hospital and buys, repairs and replaces equipment not covered by the health ministry.
So at the ripe old age of seven, he asked friends and family to donate to Stollery, where 215,000 patients were treated and more than 10,000 surgeries were performed last year, in lieu of giving him a present.
鈥淥ne day he was just like, 鈥業 know what I want to do for my birthday,鈥欌�� Emma explained. 鈥淪o I contacted Stollery and they were very helpful. They sent him pages to colour in and pledge sheets and flyers for birthday invitations.鈥�
They also set up an online donation page that provides tax receipts.
鈥淢y sister went to the hospital so I thought I would do something nice to raise money so it will help make kids feel better,鈥� Marco explained. 鈥淚t makes me feel good!鈥�
He added the money will help the hospital buy things they don鈥檛 have or replace things that are broken.
If that wasn鈥檛 enough Marco said he plans to try and beat his fundraising goal when he turns nine.
鈥淲e鈥檙e extremely proud, my husband and I, that he鈥檚 doing something for somebody else, trying to help other people,鈥� Emma said.
Craig Gilbert
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