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Helping Others is Ageless

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/11/2018 (2540 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

wfpyoutube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qODAbOLu5rQ:wfpyoutube

Ashley Soares was four-years-old when her father, Luis, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. It was 2013 and back then they stayed connected — while he recovered in hospital — thanks to the technology of FaceTime. In classic dad-style, each time she called, Luis would don a brave face and remind his daughter that everything was going to be okay.

Thankfully, it was.

And the Soares family has been immensely grateful to the care they received at HSC ever since. So much so that Luis has volunteered to be a spokesperson for the Foundation’s campaign to fund the new Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Clinic and Endoscopy Unit at the hospital.

They helped my Daddy. Now I want to help other people.

It can be argued that a family that undergoes such adversity is never the same. They live life more fully yet are arguably less naive post critical illness. Still, Ashley did something at this year’s Foundation’s annual Hope to Life Radiothon last February.

She moved her parents to tears.

But not as you might as expected, because of sorrow, in this instance, Luis and Lucy Soares cried proud tears when their daughter made a donation of $50 of her own money. She is now eight and had been carefully saving up her allowance for such an occasion.

Luis and Lucy had no idea.

“It was a proud moment for sure,” said Luis. “You try to teach your children to be kind and help others when given the chance. I guess you could say we’ve done that.”

“She could have bought a toy or something for herself,” says Lucy, “but she didn’t. We couldn’t be more proud of her.”

The new Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Clinic and Endoscopy Unit unit will enable earlier diagnosis of the type of esophageal cancer that Luis Soares had, as well as many forms of lung cancer.

“They helped my Daddy. Now I want to help other people,” said the bubbly, active, and articulate student from Collicutt School. “And I Loved that is was a surprise!”

Many Manitobans use the services of Health Sciences Centre on a yearly basis. Continually delivering ground-breaking

research, cutting-edge technology and improved treatment facilities, support is necessary.

As for Ashley, she is already light years ahead of many. By donating her hard-earned money to an invaluable cause, she learned that supporting the HSC Foundation can help people

receive the care they need. Like it did for her dad. And, she encourages others (kids and adults alike) to do the same.

When asked about her allowance, she responds, “I get what I get and I don’t get upset.”