Fundraiser Held For Paralyzed Whitby Teen And Sick Toddler

Rosalie St. Jean and Brice Cormier’s stories have nothing to do with one another.

At least they didn’t, before many in their Whitby community came together to help two girls battling remarkable adversity.

The 17-year-old St. Jean (pictured) was paralyzed from the neck down after diving into shallow water last August, while the young Cormier was born with a rare heart defect that has doctors wondering if she’ll make it at all.

“I think it’s a 30 per cent chance she’ll live to be 10 yeas old for the conditions that she has,” said Brice’s mother, Kathryn Cormier.

But she’s come this far, and on Sunday a fundraising dinner was held at Whitby restaurant Sassy’s to make sure both girls and their families continue to go forward.

“Everything’s just really focused on recovering right now,” St. Jean said.

“It all about the future … hopefully one day I’ll forget that this ever happened.”

But working toward that future and the multitude of treatments and hospital stays for Cormier, have taken a financial toll on both families.

That’s why the girls’ friends, family and neighbours each paid $30 for a meal Sunday, while the restaurant raffled off prizes and donated all of the food.

“Sometimes it’s nice to bring attention to such things and to give people the help that they need,” said Sassy’s Stephanie Macaulay.

“It’s hard to find the help when you have children that are suffering.”

Rosalie’s family is also collecting funds for a wheelchair accessible car independently.  

Here’s the information for those wishing to donate:

TD Canada Trust Ajax Branch

Westney Rd and Highway 2

Transit # 0536

Account # 6346007

The family asks any donors to leave their name so they may say thank you.

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