I haven’t posted anything here for a long time, I may get back into writing here eventually. Today’s post is going to be on a non-political topic.
A close friend of mine, Katharine Hay passed away suddenly late last month from complications related to kidney disease, she was 24. Many readers of this blog, or readers of the various blogging sites that this blog gets re-posted to will know Katharine from her time as the co-Chair of the New Democratic Youth of Alberta, or other work she did with the NDP. Others will know her from her blog Homegrown Socialist.
accomplished a lot in her life, in spite of the challenges she faced. I’ve already summed up my thoughts about her elsewhere, but if you’d like to read about just some of what she accomplished, you can read this tribute to her from the Edmonton Journal.
Next Sunday, April 25th at Rundle Park in Edmonton the Kidney Foundation will be holding their annual Give the Gift of Life Fun Run and Walk. Katharine had been training for the 5km run herself before she passed. Since she is not going to be able to do the run herself many of Katharine’s friends and her family are going to be doing the run (or walk) in her place. Donations to Katharine’s personal page currently exceed $3,000 and donations to her team, “Team Kat” are currently over $4,000, but I know that we can raise much more in the next week.
The Kidney Foundation meant a lot to Katharine. They provided her with a lot of support while she was growing up, and she did her best to give back to them, whether it was working as a counsellor at their summer camp for kid’s with kidney disease while she was a teen, or more recently mentoring children with kidney disease or participating in fundraisers like this one.
It would mean a lot to me, and to everyone else who was part of Katharine’s life if you could contribute even just a small amount to
her fundraising page for this run.
I’m going to end this post with the text of the tribute Alberta NDP leader Brian Mason made to Katharine in the Alberta Legislature this past Thursday.
From the Hansard of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for April 15th 2010:
Mr. Mason: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to pay tribute to a young Albertan who passed away too soon but in her short time with us made a real impact on me and on the province. Katharine Hay passed away last month in Edmonton from complications of kidney disease at the age of 24. Katharine served as a chair of the New Democratic Youth of Alberta, was the NDP candidate in Sherwood Park in the last election, and was an excellent event organizer and fundraiser. She travelled to British Columbia during their last provincial election, working to re-elect Cariboo North MLA Bob Simpson.
In addition, Katharine was a talented biathlete, excellent cross- country skier, and participated in cutting-horse shows as a turnback rider. During the past year Katharine was enrolled in NAIT’s radio and television arts program, pursuing a career in radio news. Katharine did all this and more in spite of having to battle kidney disease her entire life. She showed how courage and determination can change lives and, hopefully, can contribute to changing a province.
At a time when young people are often discouraged from getting involved in public affairs and frustrated by a political system that does not speak to their concerns, Katharine showed that politically engaged youth could make a difference. I know her example inspired others to become involved as well.
Before her passing Katharine was preparing to run in the Kidney Foundation of Alberta’s annual give the gift of life fun run and walk. Many of her friends will now be running and walking in her memory at Rundle park on April 25. Donations for Team Kat now exceed $3,700 and can be made online at www.kidney.ca.
Katharine has left an indelible mark on me, on our party, and on our province. I am very proud to have had her on my team.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
