Bowlers strike up support for transplant patients

The 19th annual Bowling for Bone Marrow Event took place on Saturday in support of research and transplant patients.

No lane was empty as 150 bowlers laced up their shoes for the Katelyn Bedard Bone Marrow Association.

“The funding that we raised today goes to help transplant patients with expenses they are faced with,” said Bryan Bedard, president of the association.

Bryan and Joanne Bedard founded the association in 2005 after losing their 3-year-old daughter Katelyn to Leukemia when she was not able to find a bone marrow donor.

On Saturday, their goal was to raise more than $30,000 to continue to support as many as 40 families across the country each year.

“When you go through a transplant, you're off work, sometimes for many years, loss of income, added expenses from travelling to transplant centres,” Bedard said, explaining why the money is needed.

In addition, this year’s fundraiser will support Dr. Anna Kozarova, who is leading a University of Windsor research project titled, “Disparities of Health that Impact Outcomes for Patients with Multiple Myeloma.”