Photo: Walter Tychnowicz, edmontonjournal.com
Source: Edmonton Journal
Party raises $8,000 for paralyzed teen
ALBERTA - In a show of how tragedy can bring people together, the friends and family of an Edmonton woman who was paralyzed in a car crash one year ago have banded together to host a fundraiser to help cover the costs of her rehabilitation.
Natasha Urkow was 18 when the driver of the car she and five others were in lost control on Oct. 29,2008. Urkow, now 19, was the only passenger seriously injured in the crash, which fractured her spinal cord, and has been confined to a wheelchair since.
It was Urkow's family and friends who helped her deal with the trauma of the crash.
"It took me a long time to get through a lot of depression," she said. "I don't think I could have gotten through a lot of it without them."
Now her friends have organized a fundraiser dubbed Cash for Tash on the anniversary of the crash. The fundraiser was held at Victoria School on Thursday, where Urkow was a student and cheerleader. Keiko Matthews is one of the organizers of the event and used to coach Urkow on the cheerleading team.
"She had just graduated in 2008 when the crash happened, so it struck close to home," Matthews said.
Urkow's friends hope the fundraiser will help with some of the costs associated with the crash, including modifications to her home and the cost of two dedicated caregivers.
"It won't pay for everything, obviously, but it will be a start," Matthews said.
About 100 people gathered in the school's cafeteria, many of whom hadn't seen Urkow in the last year.
"When I first heard about the crash, I wasn't able to see her," said Adrienne Dembicki, 19. "I think it's really positive to do this for her."
The fundraiser featured a silent auction where guests could bid on almost 40 different items, including football tickets, gift baskets and a ride-along donated by a fire station. In all, $8,000 was raised, according to Matthews.
Another organizer of the event, 19-year-old Teresa Layne, met Urkow in their Grade 10 drama class and was in the car when the crash happened. Helping her friend raise money was one reason to organize the event, but she has another.
"We're looking for long-term support for Natasha, but we also just want to let people around us know to be more cautious about the decisions we make, especially with drinking and driving," Layne said.
Urkow's friends have been impressed with how she has handled the aftermath of the crash.
"I'm blown away by her motivation," Layne said. "I look up to her because she's definitely a role model to me."
.: 
0 comments:
Post a Comment