The community of Stoughton is pulling out all stops in their attempt to raise financial support for Shanara Gall, a 19-year-old girl from the community.
It was only on Thursday, Feb. 23rd that Shanara and her family found out that she was ill with an extremely aggressive form of cancer.
Shanara had recently had a fall while skating, bumping her tail bone. While an initial examination by a physician showed nothing serious, Shanara complained of a growing numbness in her lower extremities.
Transported to Regina for an emergency MRI, Shanara was found to have a cancerous mass growing around the lower portion of her spine.
Taken in for emergency surgery, doctors were successful in removing large portions of the mass, however due to the tumour's position relative to her spinal cord, they were unable to remove it all.
Following the surgery on Feb. 23rd, Shanara has now begun an aggressive chemotherapy regime, and following four weeks of this, Shanara will be sent out of province for stem cell therapy and bone marrow replacement.
While only 19-years-old, Shanara is now past the age of majority, and concerns about money involved with the treatments, as well as costs involved with the travel and housing of her parents through her treatment process, have led Keith Tramer to plan a fundraising event.
"Everybody I ever talked to about her (Shanara) is very upset," Tramer said. "She is a real sweet and innocent kid."
Shanara is due to begin her nursing education this autumn, and she presently works as a care worker with a group home in Weyburn.
"She was part of the Stars Choir, she did volunteer work all over Stoughton," Tramer said. "She worked at every United Church supper I can remember."
"Shanara is a really great kid."
Therefore on March 10, at Stoughton Memorial Hall, there will be a fundraiser event to help Shanara and her family deal with the costs associated with this sudden and unexpected illness.
Dinner will be prepared by well-known chef CJ Katz, making use of fresh, organic, wholly Saskatchewan-grown food.
A large number of musicians will also be attending, and other celebrities as they confirm the date.
Besides the dinner there will also be an auction of memorabilia and donated items.
The dinner tickets are available for $50.
The agenda for the evening will be cocktails at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m., and the auction will be at 7:30 p.m.
A dance will follow the auction.
For those just wishing to attend the auction and dance, tickets will be available for $25.
The CIBC in Stoughton has established an account for those who would like to make a donation.
This can be done either by contacting the CIBC branch directly, or by contacting Keith Tramer at Tramer Agencies in Stoughton. Also, if you are willing to donate time items for auction, please contact Keith Tramer.
The Gall family kindly request that no flowers, plants, or food be sent to Shanara, who is presently at Pasqua Hospital in Regina, due to the depleted state of Shanara's immune system, a side-effect of the chemotherapy.
A Facebook page has also been set up by friends of Shanara, and can be found on Facebook by search the name 'Shanara Gall.'
