Blanleil family helps girl with rare cancer
Salmon Arm girl getting treatment in the United States has same cancer Kyle Blanleil had
A Salmon Arm girl’s battle with cancer hit close to home for Kelowna’s Blanleil family.
Kyle Blanleil, now vice-president of Andres Electronic Experts, once faced the same cancer diagnosis that 12-year-old Halle Krawczyk of Salmon Arm is dealing with and the Blanleils knew all too well the gruelling physical, emotional and financial path ahead for Halle and her family.
So they decided to help.
In 2017, Halle was diagnosed with poorly differentiated chordoma, a rare cancer.
All domestic medical treatments were exhausted and her doctors recommended a surgery only available with the World Specialty Team in Pittsburgh.
The B.C. Medical Service Plan funded the surgery, which is now completed, but the family is facing overwhelming costs to support Halle in her fight, leaving work and moving to the U.S. for six months pre- and post-surgery.
Andres Electronic Experts has raised $20,000 to help out, money donated by the corporation, staff and customers.
“The initiative put forward by Kyle to raise money for this young girl hit home for us.
“I am very proud and thankful of our team and customers who got behind the initiative,” said Andre Blanleil, Kyle’s father and company president, in a news release.
“We are happy to announce that Halle has undergone all three surgeries and doctors say they were all a success. Halle is recovering in a Pittsburgh hospital before she will head to Boston for Proton Beam Radiation.”
A Go Fund Me page — Help for Halle — has been set up.