(On June 15th and 22nd, two fundraisers were held for Jack Laidlaw to assist with the research underway to find a cure for the rare genetic disease SPG4 that Jack was diagnosed with in December, 2023. Jack, his Dad, Richard Laidlaw and Jamboree host and organizer, Courtney Noel at the June 22nd event. Photo: Stittsville Central.)
On June 15th, neighbours, friends and community members rallied to hold garage sales and to lay down loonies in support of 7-year old Jack Laidlaw. The turnout was so great, a circle of various coins was formed around the Helm Circle neighbourhood where the Laidlaw family resides. Jack was recently diagnosed with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia type 4 (SPG4) and the family is donating the fundraiser money to search for a cure for this rare genetic disease.
SPG4 is a progressive genetic disease and neurological disorder, that if left untreated, causes muscle weakness and a disruption in muscle movement patterns that causes certain muscles to contract all at once. The ability to walk will eventually be lost due to paralysis of the lower limbs.
To counter-attack the advancement of the effects, Jack must follow a daily exercise regime. The family know they are on a journey with many twists and turns, but are ardent that with the research for SPG4 currently underway at the University of Massachusetts and Boston Children’s Hospital, a cure may be found.
Neighbours, friends and the community have come together to assist the Laidlaw family in finding a cure through research for SPG4. At a cost of $3 million for clinical trials to take place, the money raised at the June 15th fundraiser is off to a great start and brings hope for a cure. The family’s goal is to raise $3 million allowing the clinical trials to begin.
Jack’s mother Anna told us this past week, “We just tallied the amount raised from our fundraiser last weekend – we ended up raising $16,457 with the loonies from the circle, plus the donations from our neighbours sales tables and other generous donations from the community that day!”
Anna shared this photo with us saying, “I thought I would share the photo of Jack in all of the loonies when we went to RBC to deposit them. They let us dump the loonies on the ground and Jack did a snow angel in them!”
On June 22nd, a second fundraiser was held at Mane West Salon on Stittsville Main Street. Courtney Noel, owner of the salon, has been a family friend of the family and felt she had to help. It quickly became a Jamboree with inflatables, an auction with prizes from Stittsville businesses, a petting zoo, face painting, balloon animals, a magician, Elsa & Olaf made an appearance, an obstacle course and carnival games. Of course, Jack and his father Richard Laidlaw were on hand to greet everyone who attended.
Courtney told us, “it was originally planned for something smaller, but it quickly grew with so many wanting to help. I am more than happy with the attendance and so many wanting to contribute.”
“Anna was unable to attend as she had to go out West, so Jack and I are here to enjoy the day and meet and thank the many who are supporting us,” Richard said. “It has been a busy day for Jack and his legs are starting to get tired, but he’s had a great time.”
The next fundraiser will be a golf tournament being held on July 12 at the Canadian Golf & Country Club for an enjoyable day for friends to get together to play some golf and enjoy dinner. To register to play a game visit this link or you can also attend the dinner. The SPG4 research fund will receive $20.00 from each dinner purchased.
While there is no current known cure or treatment, hope shines with the medical research currently taking place. All funds raised will be directly supporting the research. To learn more and donate, please visit the website: https://blugenes.org/spg4-cure and support the family’s research fundraising at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-research-for-the-spg4-cure-for-jack