A Facebook auction for the Harris family of Smithers raised more than $27,000 to help the family deal with costs related to a rare medical condition that is once again threatened the life of nine-year-old Carter Harris.
Carter is currently admitted to the B.C. Children’s Hospital after developing a Central Line infection April 26 which put him the Bulkley Valley District Hospital before being medivaced with father Cache to Vancouver.
Carter was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis (UC) and Hydro Nephrosis when he was just nine weeks old and has spent roughly half his life in hospital.
All of these conditions make it impossible for Carter to eat normal food hence the Central Line which provides him with most of his nutritional needs intravenously.
OUR TOWN: Raising Carter: A family’s journey of healing
Doctors in Vancouver stabilized him and during a four-hour surgery replaced the Central Line with a PICC line to give his central veins a chance to heal.
They also pinned his hips with metal screws to counteract complications which were the result of the harsh side effects of steroids and other medications he takes to keep him alive.
All of this combined with mom Kimberley’s severe epilepsy, which also entails extensive medical costs, has taken a major financial toll on the family.
Evy McKay responded by organizing the Facebook auction. Dozens of area businesses and individuals donated items and the community stepped up by bidding heavily.
VIDEO: Carter Harris charity basketball game
McKay was thrilled with the outcome.
“Thank you all so much for donating and bidding,” she said in a Facebook post announcing the results. “I seriously could not have put this together without the help of our amazing community. I am grateful for every single one of you.”
The Harrises were also grateful.
“Thank you so much for helping making the burden a bit lighter,” Cache said in response to the announcement. “Evy McKay and Lori Saffe and our amazing friends that came together selflessly to help. We are forever grateful.”
Additional funds are still being raised through direct donations and a parallel GoFundMe campaign has raised almost $8,000 toward a $60,000 goal.
Direct donations can be made via e-transfer to ckcaharris@gmail.com and the GoFundMe can be found by searching “Help Carter and the Harris Family.”
editor@interior-news.com
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