Eddie DeNobrega Fundraiser

Please remember to enter “toronto” in the coupon field when checking out. To help expedite shipping please enter your platoon and division in the address field on the checkout page. Do not enter your home address when checking out. Your order will be sent to your platoon/division. The fundraiser is not limited to just the products on this page. Anything you purchase from the site will be included in the fundraiser.

This fundraiser is for Eddie De Nobrega, our friend and brother, from 14 Division – C platoon. Here is his story.

On Monday, August 15th, 2016, after a 3 hour hike Eddie noticed that his left leg was giving out, he wrote it off to muscle fatigue. The next day his leg began to give out every 3rd step and his upper back was in excruciating pain. He went to his family doctor who said it was a mechanical strain and sent him home with anti-inflammatories and pain meds. On Friday, August 19th, he limped into the doctor’s office, the doctor sent him to the emergency room for an MRI thinking it was spinal stenosis. When the results came back, the doctor told Eddie and his wife that they found a tumor in his spinal cord. By Friday evening, he lost all feeling in his left leg. The next day he was transferred to St. Michael’s hospital and on Sunday was in surgery for three hours to remove the tumor.

Eddie has been diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer, “Ependymoma”. The tumor has choked off the spinal cord so Eddie is paralyzed from mid-torso down. For now, radiation is on hold because it can only be done once and when done he risks damaging his spinal cord and surrounding area including nerves and main organs.

The surgery damaged Eddie’s spinal cord and the doctors have given him at most a 10% chance of walking again. There are advances in spinal cord research and treatment but these are not covered by OHIP and may require searching beyond Canada into the field of stem cells.

Eddie just came out of living in a rehabilitation hospital for spinal cord injury, where he underwent a rigorous program of physio and learning to function independently. Now that he is home, he and his family will be facing insurmountable costs beyond what insurance will cover involving upgrading to a wheelchair that will fit his active personality, in-home renovations, ongoing rehabilitation (physio) 4-5 times per week, medical costs and alternative treatments.

People who are paralyzed from the mid-torso down struggle to care for themselves especially during the first one to two years. Everything is a new challenge. Accessibility though more common is still a hurdle in the city. Eddie’s wife has taken an unpaid leave to help support him physically and emotionally and to be there as a caregiver.

Physiotherapy, possible vehicle modification and lost wages are also realities that will have to be dealt with at some point. A portion of the proceeds from every purchase made will be donated to Eddie to help offset these costs. Your participation is greatly appreciated and will make a difference in the lives of him and his wife. Thank you