Boxing Snippets

Boxing fund-raiser for ailing toddler

 

Boxing’s big heart will be evident next weekend when Golden Gloves hosts a fund-raiser to help support Raquel Barnard Stewart, a three-year-old suffering from a severe heart condition.

A top sports item has been sourced and will be auctioned prior to the main event at Emperors Palace. In addition to the public bidding, Golden Gloves has pledged to underwrite the fund-raiser with R10 000.

Raquel, who hails from Primrose, east of Johannesburg, was born on the 4th of September 2013 with a heart defect called “Tetralogy of Fallot”.

She had her first operation at three months to replace her heart stent. A second operation followed at four months and another at six months.

“The doctors gave us little hope, but somehow she pulled through. Our family believe this was a miracle,” said Sandra, grandmother of Raquel. “For the most part of her life she’s been a very happy little girl considering everything she’s had to endure. Now at the age of almost four she has started fainting randomly. We rushed her to the hospital where a scan was done on her heart and it was discovered one of the heart valves is leaking blood.”

Here is the link to her FB page, where there is information on her condition: https://www.facebook.com/raquelbarnardstewart/?ref=bookmarks

“She has been placed on the state hospital’s waiting list and is scheduled for surgery by the state 12 months from now. The doctors have confirmed her situation is life-threatening and she needs the surgery ASAP . . .  she cannot wait a year. The operation will cost +- R600 000 and our family simply doesn’t have the funds.

“We thank every person who has been on this emotional journey with us for the past four years. We would not have been able to do this without you, and your love and prayers for Raquel.”

Said promoter Rodney Berman: “We are only too pleased to assist. Boxing people are kind people with generosity of spirit. With luck we can help ease the family’s financial burden.”

 If you are in any position to make any sort of contribution to help save Raquel’s life, please make a donation to the following account:

Account Holder: Raquel Barnard
Account type: nedbank4me
Account number: 1147918880 
Branch code: 192505

 

Related Articles

Back to top button