Eleven-year-old Kaiden Blaszko, an Albany boy who suffered a stroke in April this year, will be the West Coast mascot this week when the Eagles take on North Melbourne in a match dedicated to raising funds for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, one of the West Coast Eagles official charity partners in 2009.
West Coast utility Brent Staker surprised Kaiden two weeks ago with the news at club headquarters following Kaiden’s regular check-up at Princess Margaret Hospital (“PMH”).
Kaiden Blaszko became a patient at PMH in April this year when he felt a lunchtime headache turn into paralysis of his right side. He was admitted to Albany Regional Hospital where a CT scan confirmed that Kaiden had a bleed in his brain. He was put into an induced coma and rushed by the Royal Flying Doctor to Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital in Perth.
Kaiden’s parents were informed that an operation would be fatal, but against all odds, Kaiden woke the next day with regained partial movement in his right side and cognitive function.
The following day, Kaiden was transferred to PMH where he was kept until the Thursday before Easter.
Since Kaiden’s admission to hospital, Staker has paid numerous visits to this brave boy, and helped him through his traumatic time which has since involved months of hospital visits and rehabilitation.
“I wouldn’t wish upon anybody what Kaiden has been through and it is a testament to his character that he has kept such a positive attitude,” said Staker.
Kaiden has since made a near full recovery, losing only his peripheral vision in one eye.
Kaiden and his family were also given four tickets to today’s game and Kaiden will be kitted out in a new Eagles guernsey, shorts and socks which he will wear when he runs out today with the players before the game.
“It’s been my greatest dream to be able to run out through the banner and onto Subiaco Oval. My brothers are going to be so jealous,” said Kaiden.
He will then be able to have a photo taken with the Eagles mascot, Rick the Rock, to commemorate this once in a lifetime opportunity.
PMH Foundation hand clappers will be sold around the ground during the match for $5 where all the proceeds will go to helping the sick and injured children of Western Australia.
The coin toss has also been auctioned off where all the proceeds will be donated to the foundation.
Since the partnership was established in 2005, the club has helped raised over $140,000 for the foundation to aid them in their endeavours of supporting excellence and innovation in child and adolescent healthcare at PMH, Western Australia’s only specialist children’s hospital.
The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation is the principal fundraising body for the hospital and has provided grants in excess of $24 million since its establishment in 1998. These grants have funded vital medical equipment, specialist staff, research, hospital services, education and training.
As the only charity that fundraises exclusively for the entire hospital, the foundation is in a unique position to make a real difference to the lives of sick and injured children in Western Australia.
For ways you can support PMH visit www.pmhfoundation.com.
