Celebrity art raises money for Kidney Foundation in New Brunswick
On Thursday night, amid the wind and rain, Cassidy Patterson will get her wish come true.
The 13-year-old St. George girl, who is awaiting a kidney transplant, will don a gown and tiara to become Cinderella for a night as part of the Charmed Launch Party, kicking off the annual fundraising campaign for the Atlantic branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada.
Fredericton's Quartermain House Bed and Breakfast is hosting the event, which features local food, art works and entertainment.
The launch kicks off the 10th annual A Brush of Hope campaign, where Canadian celebrities create one-of-a-kind paintings that are auctioned on eBay from Oct. 31st to Nov. 9th.
Rush's Alex Lifeson, Don Cherry, Brent Butt, Catherine O'Hara and Leonard Cohen are just a few of the celebrities who've created original works for the auction.
Jennifer Vienneau is the development co-ordinator for the Kidney Foundation in the Atlantic region. She says Cassidy is the guest of honour for a very important reason. She's needs another kidney transplant.
"She had a kidney transplant at the age of three. She received a kidney from her dad and this evening is her last hurrah, it's her dream come true, to be Cinderella. Her kidney's not doing well. It only has a lifespan of roughly ten years so she's now going to be going into surgery in November."
Vienneau says if you have kidney disease, and it affects one in 10 Canadians, you either need a transplant or dialysis. It's a tough disease to live with.
"Dialysis is really tough because it's four to five times a week, five hours at a time … you just basically wait until someone can donate a kidney."
Vienneau says the money raised from the auction will go to patient services and research.
