The Backmeyers aren’t back in Kamloops yet, but they are back in their home province of B.C.
“I just can’t even believe we did it,” Lindsey wrote on Facebook. “Eight weeks ago we left Vancouver and travelled across the country to Toronto for a kidney transplant. We left with some big hopes and dreams, sprinkled with a whole lot of fear.”
And why not? After all, Lindsey and her husband, Pat, had been told at one point in their journey that a second transplant for their youngest daughter, Ferris, 6, likely was impossible.
“We were given ‘the choice’ to just (let her) live her days out on dialysis or proceed with listing her and giving it a second shot,” Lindsey explained. “It was a no-brainer living the life Ferris was living that she needed another shot if she were to have any chance at growing up.”
So off they went in pursuit of another kidney and — guess what? — so far, so good.
“We were shocked, that things actually went as planned, that the transplant was successful and our girl was gifted a whole new life,” Lindsey wrote.
They left Toronto on Thursday, five weeks after Ferris had undergone a kidney transplant at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
And now they are back at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, a facility with which they are quite familiar having been regulars there and at the Ronald McDonald House over the past five years.
“Walking into the hospital I had goosebumps everywhere,” Lindsey wrote.
What made things really special was . . .
“It was incredible watching Ferris just WALK into the hospital. I’m not sure she ever has before,” Lindsey explained. “She definitely hadn’t walked to a clinic appointment before.”
And it seems that Ferris received something of a warm welcome.
“It was incredibly heartwarming seeing their response to how well she’s doing. Lots of happy tears. Even as she sat in front of them . . . they just couldn’t believe she wasn’t a dialysis patient anymore . . . that she’s getting her shot!”
So now the five of them are back living at Ronald McDonald House as they wait to see what the future holds. Hopefully it means a return to Kamloops isn’t too far away.
Tavia told her mother “it felt like we were home finally. It really really did. The bigs were off with their friends until bedtime. Ferris played hard. Everyone was just so happy to be ‘home’.”
JUNIOR JOTTINGS:
The Portland Winterhawks announced on Friday that veteran scouts Brad Davis and Ray Payne have left the organization. . . . Davis, who had been the head Manitoba scout, said he is leaving “to pursue other opportunities.” He had been with the Winterhawks for 16 years. . . . Ray Payne, who was Portland’s B.C. regional scout, was preparing for his seventh season with the Winterhawks. Payne had a long history as an NHL scout, working at various times with the Minnesota North Stars, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals and Vancouver Canucks. He was with the Calgary Hitmen before moving over to the Winterhawks. . . .
The City of Seattle, presumably with the support of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, wants to play host to the 2026 World Junior Championship. . . . Reports surfaced late last week to that effect. . . . It is believed that Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul and St. Louis also have expressed interest in playing host to the event. . . . The 2024 tournament is to be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, with the tournament moving to Ottawa for 2025. A decision on 2026 is expected to be made sometime during the 2023-24 season. . . .
It would seem that the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League has added an ‘A’ to its name. Yes, it is referred to as the Kootenay International Junior A League in a recent news release in which it announced that it now will allow each of its teams to have six 20-year-old players on its roster, up one from where it was in recent seasons. . . . “Adding an additional 20-year old roster spot provides added flexibility for our member clubs as they build their teams for the 2023/24 season and brings us closer in line with other Junior A leagues across the country,” Jeff Dubois, the league’s commissioner, said in the news release. . . . The KIJHL and two other leagues in B.C., all of which had been junior B, have been designated Junior A Tier 2 by BC Hockey.
THE COACHING GAME:
The Regina Pats have hired Evan McFeeters as an assistant coach, filling the spot created when Brad Herauf was promoted to head coach following the retirement of John Paddock. . . . McFeeters, 35, had been the head coach of the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders for one season. He also has coached with the AJHL’s Canmore Eagles and Brooks Bandits. McFeeters is from Canmore. . . . He joins assistant coach Ken Schneider and goaltending coach Daniel Wapple on the Pats’ staff.
If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:
Living Kidney Donor Program
St. Paul’s Hospital
6A Providence Building
1081 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-9027
Toll free: 1-877-922-9822
Fax: 604-806-9873
Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca
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Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney
Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre
Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street
Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9
604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182
kidneydonornurse@vch.ca
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Or, for more information, visit right here.
TAKING NOTE 