News
The Komox Masters Baseball League Players have all hit “home runs”, in YANA’s opinion! They generously donated funds to YANA and we are their biggest fans!
YANA is a big fan of Gratitude and right now, we’re feeling super thankful for Mudsharks Coffee Bar’s Grateful Bowl Program. Every month, $1 from each delicious bowl goes to a local charity and YANA was their latest recipient. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
We’d like to thank the Comox Lemon Squeezers – namely Kate, Everett, Bryn and Clara – for fundraising for YANA. Every year, they set up a Lemonade Stand on, appropriately, Lemonade Stand Day, and raise money for a BC Charity as well as the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. Sweeeeeeeet!
On a hot day, is there anything better than ice-cold, homemade lemonade? Yes!!….When it’s being sold by an enterprising and thoughtful youth named Ronan, in support of YANA! You rock, Ronan!
Shayne & Tori Boelk, A YANA Family Story
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Originally published by the Comox Valley Record – Sept 18, 2021
Andrea Postal, Client Services, YANA. Special to the Record
Nobody plans for their child to get sick or for their lives to get turned upside down, but it happens to families right here in our community. This glimpse into reality comes from Shayne Boelk, father of Tori Boelk, whose journey has not been an easy one, or a short one, but it has been one that began with a glimmer of hope from YANA.
Tori’s journey with YANA dates all the way back to 2007 when Tori’s Mother was pregnant with twins and was admitted to St. Joseph’s hospital with labour complications that resulted in devastating news.
“The OB came over and wanted to have a chat with us and brought a chair with him, and when that happened, I knew we were in pretty big trouble,” said Shayne. “And then what he told us is that we lost her sister. And that’s when things go sideways.”
After discovering that Tori’s twin had passed, they worked to stave off the threat of preterm contractions to ensure that Tori could continue to safely grow in utero for as long as possible. It was in between the flurry of activity, right before Tori’s mother was air-lifted to Vancouver to be closer to more acute medical care, that a nurse stuffed an envelope into her hand containing money with a note from YANA. The couple was overwhelmed with the generosity from their community, but it wasn’t until much later in their journey that they would reach out to the organization for further support.
After arriving in Vancouver and looking more closely, Tori’s medical team discovered a congenital cardiac defect that would require open-heart surgery shortly after birth. The heart defect was the result of a microdeletion, DiGeorge syndrome, which would present myriad health complications and challenges after Tori was born. The couple stayed for the three months leading up to her birth and didn’t return home with her until after her first birthday.
“We were pretty overwhelmed and maxed out by the time we finally connected with YANA. Being away from home for a year, still paying all of those bills, and also carrying rent and living expenses in Vancouver was a lot,” Shayne said, commenting on how quickly it became apparent how unique YANA is to this community.
Many families receive hospital emergency funding, an envelope with $200 cash and a letter from YANA to connect for further support given to families who are required to emergency transfer for medical care from the Comox Valley Hospital. Presently, only about 40 per cent of recipients connect for further support, something that the organization is working to change in hopes that all families will benefit from the full depth of relief YANA can provide, something Shayne quickly discovered after making the connection to YANA.
“One of the things that’s almost universal, none of those parents plan for that stuff to happen. You don’t plan for life to get derailed, and it happens a lot… and all of a sudden there’s a YANA there.”
Tori is almost 14, she has a vibrant and infectious smile, and Shayne beams with pride as he speaks of her strength and resilience. Tori continues to make multiple trips to address many of the challenges she faces each day, and the family continues to be overwhelmed with gratitude for the support they receive from their community through YANA.
“I can not convey what an amazing program that YANA is. I have met many people at BCCH (BC Children’s Hospital), and when they ask where we are staying and I tell them about YANA, their jaws usually hit the floor,” says Shayne. “The fact that it is managed privately and is a product of the Comox Valley and the people who run it, is awe-inspiring. I can not think of a more worthy charity for people to get behind.”
YANA’s support is available to any Comox Valley family required to travel for the medical care of their child or a pregnant mother. YANA’s programs are made possible thanks to the enormous hearts of the generous people of this community, helping families know in some of their most difficult moments that You Are Not Alone.
Andrea Postal is a member of the client services team for YANA.
Our hearts are full thanks to a young entrepreneur who has been selling bouquets of flowers outside her home, with proceeds donated to YANA. Thank you for generously giving back to other children and families in this community so creatively!
Shout out to Jan Kotyk for your generous heart (and incredible endurance!!) through your Run North for YANA fundraiser! Jan ran a whopping 203.84 kilometer in just 3 days, through every kind of weather imaginable, al while raising pledges to give back to YANA. We can’t thank you enough, Jan!
We are beaming with gratitude for the classroom full of students at Queeneesh Elementary who opened up their hearts to learn about YANA and the services available to children and families in our community. Their basket raffle fundraiser was a huge success, and we are grateful for the generous donation ANd the beautiful artwork that accompanied it!
Huge ladles of hot chili to all of the artists at Potter’s Place who donated a portion of their bowl sales in lieu of the annual Chili Bowl Fundraiser, thank you for your commitment to giving back to your community in a meaningful way!