Fundraiser in Brandon to aid mom recovering from triple amputation

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This article was published 26/05/2017 (3029 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A local university student hopes the Brandon community will come together this summer for a fundraiser in support of her cousin recovering from a triple amputation.

One & Only Design Studio/ O&O Coffee will host the event on July 8, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Delma McLeod, a student in Brandon University’s psychiatric nursing program, will perform at the coffee shop with Gimli-based band The Mellow D’s. All donations collected will go to Cari Kirkness of Winnipeg.

“She’s amazing, she is so positive,” McLeod said. “She’s always smiling and laughing … she gives a lot of people a lot of strength.”

Cari, a single mother, nearly lost her life in early February. An infection that began as strep throat developed into a rare flesh-eating bacteria. Within a matter of days, she lost both legs and her right arm.

“They weren’t sure if she was going to make it, and she pulled through,” McLeod said.

Cari, 28, has two sons, aged three and 11. Family members have been by her side through the traumatic ordeal at the Health Sciences Centre.

“She’s still not quite healed, so she can’t go (home) just yet, and that’s why we’re doing the fundraiser,” McLeod said.

With the new reality of living with only one limb, major rehabilitation is needed, in addition to home renovations to make it more accessible.

Karen Zapisocki, a barista at O&O Coffee, said they felt compelled to hold a fundraiser in Brandon for the young mother.

“She’s an amazing woman, very strong,” Zapisocki said. “Her whole life is changing, there’s just years of expenses ahead of her … People have been really generous to her story, and we’re hoping to try and do something from this end.”

Cari’s mother, Loretta Kirkness, said her daughter is now in the rehabilitation stage, learning how to manoeuvre herself, and working to improve strength in her arm and core area.

“Her case is unique because they’re used to people that lose one or two limbs. With Cari, it’s all three limbs that are gone,” Loretta said.

Despite the terrible circumstances, Cari has managed to stay positive and keep her spirits up.

“She loves life more now than before this happened,” Loretta said. “It made her … look at life in a different perspective. She’s very happy that she survived it, and that she’s still here for her boys.”

As Cari’s mother, Loretta said she has to stay strong, but she has her emotional moments.

“I think we all have our ups and downs, it’s so new to us,” Loretta said. “It was so scary, I guess we were all traumatized.”

Thinking back to the events of Feb. 7, Loretta still can hardly believe what transpired. Cari thought she had a simple flu, and then noticed a bruise on her arm. They went to the emergency room when the bruise became more worrisome, and she was diagnosed with Group A streptococcal infectionnecrotizing fasciitis. After surgery, Cari’s organs began to shut down and she was put on life support.

“I’ve never prayed so hard in my life,” Loretta said. “Sitting by her side, I was telling her to ‘fight, fight, fight.’”

A GoFundMe campaign for Cari has raised more than $31,000 since February. Her mother says money raised through the campaign and other fundraisers will help with medical expenses, and finding a suitable home for the family that is wheelchair accessible.

» jaustin@brandonsun.com

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