Alistair Hoy's still giving
[attach]4040[/attach]In December, 14 year old Alistair Hoy was skating across the ice with his hockey team, a seemingly happy and healthy kid. By Jan. 6 he had died of leukemia.
In memory of their son and brother, the Hoy family has organized two blood donor clinics in an event they’re calling Project 162.
Alistair’s parents thought their son had the flu when they took him to see a doctor on Dec. 20. From that appointment, he was taken immediately to Sick Kids Hospital where he spent his final 17 days battling acute lymphomic leukemia. During that time Alistar went through 162 units of blood.
“That’s why we call it Project 162 because that’s what we want,” said Gary Hoy, Alistair’s father. “That’s our ultimate goal, to collect 162 units of blood.”
On April 29, a blood donation clinic will be held at Don Mills Collegiate Institute from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A second clinic will be held later that day from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the nearby Jubilee United Church. A raffle, barbecue, and car wash will also take place at the church.
In addition to hockey, Alistair and his older brother Spencer were both involved in environmental activities and did volunteer work at nearby schools, said their father.
“Anything that required any type of fundraising within the community, of course they were part of,” Hoy said. “We’ve always been part of that too.”
Hoy said several neighbours and friends have already promised to volunteer their time during the events. Many of those who are old enough, mostly friends of Alistair’s brother, have promised to donate blood but Alistair’s friends and teammates will be there too.
“They’ll be there doing the car washing,” said Hoy.
Proceeds from the car wash and other events will be going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada as well as Sick Kids Hospital and Canadian Blood Services.