On Saturday April 29th Local Musicians, have opened their hearts and availability to play a music festival 1 day, 30 bands, 3 stages, 10 hours in support of 1 little girl named Greta. There is only 1 goal. Raise $100,000.00 for a life saving operation, treatment and post-operative care for Greta.
We are absolutely blown away to be in the position to announce the talent that will play for Greta's Guardians #GuitarsforGreta on Saturday April 29:
Zuckerbaby, Kirby Sewell, Matt Blais Los Morenos, The 427's, Tom Olsen, The Frontiers, Crooked Spies, Rosalind, The Heirlooms, Girls On Decks, Fox Who Slept the Day Away, Aislinn Taylor, Sam Coulson Jay Dwa, Y brothers music, Time Boy, I Am The Mountain, The Special Edisons, The Synthetiques. The Wells, Dane, The 401's, Cale Michael, Johanna Sillanpaa, & Kimberley MacGregor,
Host's for the day include Stand-Up Comedian and former "Big Breakfast" Personality Jebb Fink .....more band announcements to come soon!
A local sports bar, and music venue and their adjacent parking lot will be fenced, staged and will host this amazing fundraising event. Tickets may be purchased ALL AGES for $20.00 GENERAL ADMISSION or $50.00 ALL ACCESS which includes admittance to artists tent and the After Party in The Cave with a Mystery Band.
It takes very special Sponsors to make this event reality. We wish to thank: AXE Music Calgary, Urban Audio Canada, BeatRoute (AB), Coca Cola, Monster Energy, Village Brewery, Bacardi Canada, Tito's Handmade Vodka Bombay SapphireSapphire, Brian's Porta Potty & Fencing, Print Three Calgary, Getto Boys Bar & Grill, The Cave Stage and MOST of all 30 generous local bands, DJ's and volunteers.
Here is Greta's (Greta's Guardians) story:
Greta was a happy, healthy energetic baby. Then she started having some vague symptoms, unexplained fever, a little nausea, less stamina. After various tests Greta went for an ultrasound and that's when our world was forever changed. The scans showed Greta had a mass on her liver.
In September 2015, days before she turned 2 years old, Greta was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma – an extremely rare liver cancer found in fewer than 1 in a million children.
Greta started her first chemo treatment on her 2nd birthday. She tolerated her treatment extremely well! Though she lost her hair and had to be isolated because of low immunity, Greta remained a happy, exuberant child. At the end of March 2016 – after 2 major surgeries, 10 chemotherapy sessions and endless pokes and procedures, she was done her treatment and had "no evidence of disease". The Oncologists said recurrence was unlikely. We were overjoyed! We enjoyed the summer with Greta and her big brother Ben. Spending lots of time at the lake and watching her change from a baby to a little girl.
Then, on a routine follow up doctor visit, we had disturbing results from a blood test - it looked like the cancer was back. More tests and scans revealed that it was. The good news was that it had not metastasized. We started chemo all over again almost exactly a year after the first round and were told she would need a liver transplant. At the end of March 2016 – after 2 major surgeries, 10 chemotherapy sessions and endless pokes and procedures, she was done her treatment and had "no evidence of disease". The Oncologists said recurrence was unlikely. We were overjoyed! We enjoyed the summer with Greta and her big brother Ben. Spending lots of time at the lake and watching her change from a baby to a little girl. We have been working extensively with doctors in Calgary, Toronto and Cincinnati on how best to take care of Greta’s relapsed hepatoblastoma (liver cancer). Our Canadian doctors have done everything they can to help but, in this case, our system is far behind many of the large centers in the world.
Dr. Geller, a paediatric oncologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, has a special interest in hepatoblastoma and much more experience than any Canadian doctors. .
He has spoken with us at length about Greta's situation and has offered to help in any way he can. With being denied a transplant in Canada, he is our only chance to get Greta a healthy liver. He has been working closely with our Canadian doctors but is convinced he can do more to help Greta than is possible here. In his practice he has been personally been involved in 9 rescue liver transplants (transplant after resection) and 8 of these children are doing well! Dr. Geller believes Greta has and deserves a shot at life.
But it is expensive! We are travelling to Cincinnati right away to start the evaluation process for a possible liver transplant and a procedure called T.A.R.E which will help to hopefully stabilize her tumour and prevent it from spreading beyond her liver but we need approximately $150K US for the procedure. However, there is a chance they would be able to transplant right away. This would require A LOT more money.
We asked for the cost of this treatment and were told that for initial evaluation, transplant surgery and follow up care and chemo until she can return home it would be USD $1.2M. Above this would be travel and living expenses for us, Greta's parents, while she is in Cincinnati. AB Health Care will not be covering the cost of Greta’s transplant surgery.
We need help! And we need it right away. Greta's life depends on it. So much of the journey through childhood cancer is lonely and isolating, but our friends and family have rallied around to support us as best they can. And we need you now more than ever.
Every single dollar will help give Greta a chance at life, a chance she deserves.
