Local six-year-old Shyanne Osmond continues to receive support from the Elk Valley, as more donations have been given to provide assistance for the many surgeries she will require.
Shyanne will be undergoing a trio of invasive, uninsured surgeries in the coming year to treat an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) that has formed on her lip — one of the rarest AVM’s that exist.
Local Fernie resident Chris Inglis appeared before Fernie city council on November 24 to request that the rental fee for the Fernie Community Centre be waived so a fundraiser dinner could be held there for Shyanne.
“I know the financial burden that’s put on the families,” said Inglis, “I’ve taken it upon myself to start up a fundraising dinner for [Shyanne] and her family.”
Inglis noted that he received the support of local businesses such as Overwaitea and Extra Foods should the dinner proceed.
Council agreed to waive the fee and Inglis proposed a tentative date for the dinner to be January 24, 2015.
The Elk Valley Thrift Shop, as part of their monthly donations back to the community, will also be donating $1,000 to Shyanne.
“We’re here to help people, and obviously Shyanne is someone who is in need of help and we’re here to provide that,” said Katrin Taylor, volunteer at the Thrift Shop.
Shyanne’s AVM is a congenital formation that creates an abnormal connection of blood between her arteries and veins. Currently, the AVM is stealing blood from Shyanne’s heart and other organs, and could burst at any moment.
In addition to the surgeries it will take to remove the AVM, Shyanne will also require reconstructive surgeries to rebuild her face once the formation is removed as well as orthodontic work for her teeth.