Yvonne Pilotte, a 46-year-old local baseball player has stepped up to organize a slo-pitch tournament on behalf of an Aldergrove family whose 5-year-old son is battling leukemia.
Sylas 鈥� described as a 鈥渧ery outgoing鈥� child 鈥渨ith a heart of gold鈥� was recently diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia.
Pilote first heard the news from the boy鈥檚 father, Jason O鈥橰iley, who also plays in the Aldergrove mixed slo-pitch league.
An Aldergrove resident of 12 years, Pilote admitted she broke down crying after learning what O鈥橰ileys are going through.
Sylas has been undergoing chemotherapy at BC Children鈥檚 Hospital since April 8, and is expected to have a three year journey ahead of him with subsequent medical procedures.
鈥淚 just can鈥檛 imagine what they鈥檙e going through,鈥� Pilote told the Aldergrove Star, fighting back tears.
鈥淪truggling to do and pay for everything.鈥�
Pilote is organizing the event with the help of by her 26-year-old son, who also met O鈥橰iley through baseball.
The tournament is set for Aug. 10 and 11 at Jackman Park鈥檚 northeast and southwest diamonds, adjacent to Parkside Centennial Elementary School.
Pilote is pushing for the 鈥渃ommunity to pull together鈥� in this time, she said, and register as one of the 12 teams on the roster.
She currently has seven teams signed up, with an entry fee of $375 per group, but is looking to fill five more spots.
鈥淢oney raised will be presented to the O鈥橰iley鈥檚 right after the last game,鈥� Pilote assured.
The last slo-pitch match is expected to start between 2:30 and 4 p.m. on Sunday (Aug. 11), with the weekend-long tournament beginning early Saturday morning.
Pilote expects food trucks, door prizes, a 50/50 draw and raffle tickets to be available for public purchase during the event.
鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to raise enough money to send the family on a trip to Disneyland, to allow them some quality time together which they haven鈥檛 had much since Sylas鈥� diagnosis,鈥� Pilote emphasized.
To sign up a baseball team folks can contact Pilote by phone at 604-866-3233.
Other donations to the O鈥橰iley family can be made out to TD Canada Trust鈥檚 O鈥橰iley Fund by contacting Pilote by email at transfer-theinkpilote@gmail.com.
