Sponsors sought for charity walk

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This article was published 22/04/2024 (709 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Less than six months after the death of their mother, a Westman small business owner is organizing a charity walk next month in her honour.

Brandi Massina was just 44 years old when she died in late December 2023 due to complications relating to a brain tumour she’d lived with for 17 years.

Her oldest child, Onix Collette, is organizing a walk at the Riverbank Discovery Centre on May 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to raise money for the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada.

Speaking to the Sun on Sunday, Collette said they and their coworkers from Best Buy took part in a Winnipeg-based walk last year.

“We were really excited to go back again this year, but the Brain Tumour Foundation decided that they’re no longer officially hosting brain tumour walks because the cost of putting them on has become so much,” said Collette. “They kind of left it up to all the individuals to plan their own events.”

Because of that Collette stepped up to host their own event in Brandon, both to help find a treatment for others with similar illnesses to their mother’s, but also to help find closure.

“Mom’s case is very unique,” they said. “She had an inoperable brain tumour, but it was benign, it wasn’t cancerous. It was at the base of the brainstem, which is a very, very vital area. They couldn’t remove it because if they did, she could have ended up either dead or paralyzed.”

Collette said their mother experienced a slow decline, losing the ability to move her limbs as time went on. Despite those challenges, they said their mother remained strong and didn’t let anything stop her.

“She was a very young mom,” Collette said. “She was only 44 when she passed. She had me in high school. She loved her music, she’d always be cranking her tunes. She was very fun, charismatic. Everyone loved being around her, she was always being funny.”

The last time Massina’s condition worsened, no one realized it would lead to her death. The situation developed so quickly that Collette said there are still people who knew Massina that haven’t found out about her death.

When Collette participated in the walk last year, they said they were worried about how their mom would react since she never wanted people to feel sorry for her. However, Massina thought it was “really cool” and receiving that blessing is helping Collette push through with creating their own walk.

As of Sunday afternoon, Collette’s team had raised $3,024 for the cause — almost triple the $1,100 they raised last year in Winnipeg, and beyond the $2,500 goal they’d initially set. Now the campaign is working towards a $5,000 target.

That includes around $500 Collette raised through selling custom jerseys made in their mother’s honour through their business, Onix Angel Creations, which creates fursuits and other clothing items and accessories for people in the furry community.

“I’m blown away by it,” Collette said. “I couldn’t believe that we’ve already raised that much money so quickly.”

Those who donate $50 or more will get a commemorative sticker that Collette made for the walk and a donation of $250 or more will get a different custom jersey made for the walk.

Ahead of the walk, others interested in donating can do so online at btfc.akaraisin.com/ui/BTW2024/t/onixangel. However, on the day of the event, volunteers will be collecting cash donations as well.

Those who are currently battling brain tumours or who have survived their battle can register in advance on the site to receive a special survivors T-shirt. Collette said it’s tradition at these events to take a group photo with survivors.

To help make the event special, Collette said they’ve arranged for members of the local furry community and the Manitoba Ghostbusters to come out. On top of that, a charity barbecue is being set up and a bouncy castle is being provided by Ty Worthington for Pinnacle Event Rentals.

Collette said they’re hoping more sponsors will come forward to help cover the cost of renting the venue as well as insurance to make sure that more of the money collected can go towards research. All sponsors will have their logos printed on a banner that will be set up at the walk.

Those interested in sponsoring the event or finding out more can reach Collette by emailing oa_creations@hotmail.com.

» cslark@brandonsun.com

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