Calgary family hosts dancing birthday bash to raise funds, commemorate late daughter

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For Evelyn Roy, there will be no last dance.

More than three years after the 11-year-old succumbed to a two-year battle with neuroblastoma, family, friends, and neighbours gathered to celebrate what would’ve been the happy-footed young girl’s 15th birthday in a way she would’ve loved — dancing and raising money to help kids like her.

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“She loved a good dance party,” said Evelyn’s mom, Heather Roy. “We danced at the hospital. We danced in the car. We danced all through her treatment just to bring joy wherever we could and just brighten our days. That felt like just a super appropriate way to celebrate her and honour her on her birthday.”

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For the third year in a row, Evelyn’s family marked her birthday with Ev’s Epic Birthday Bash. The street party in the southwest Calgary neighbourhood of Woodlands on Sunday afternoon was chock full of Evelyn’s dancing spirit, with live music, appearances by the YYC Princess party company and the Alberta Ghostbusters, and other performers.

Family looks to help other kids

It’s also a continued effort by the family to fulfill Evelyn’s wish to help out other kids in situations like hers, with all proceeds from the party going to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. Money raised will go toward hiring a child life specialist at the new Calgary Cancer Centre.

Currently, kids undergoing cancer treatment have to attend the same facility as adults.

“The team at Tom Baker Cancer Centre is incredible. They are so kind and wonderful and love the kids so completely. They just don’t have the resources they need to do everything they want to be doing,” said Heather. “That’s why we do (fundraising events); it gives them what they need to give kids like Evelyn the best experience possible.”

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Heather said Evelyn was involved in several campaigns to support those around her when she was at the Children’s Hospital.

She said when kids at the hospital make a donation, they get to put their name on a wall with a painting of a tree. While most kids reached on their tippy toes or jumped for the top, Evelyn always put her name near the bottom. She told her mom that’s the strongest part of the tree, and the roots help build others up.

“Everything we do is based on that wisdom from Evelyn — we’re the roots and we’re going to make it better by nurturing and caring for and loving other people who are going through situations similar to ours,” Heather said.

Family involved in fundraising, bringing joy

The family also organizes other fundraising endeavours; earlier this year they raised cash to provide free parking to patients and families at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Over the last three years, the family has raised $300,000 for the Alberta’s Children’s Hospital Foundation.

“I think (Evelyn would) be blown away. She would just be so impressed and so excited,” said Heather. “We call this event Ev’s Epic Birthday Bash because we really think she would think this whole project, this day, this event, our ability to find joy in her loss, was epic.”

Heather said bringing joy to people was important to Evelyn and encouraged Calgarians to always look for opportunities to do so.

“Evelyn loved frappuccinos on Fridays and dance parties and bringing joy, so if you have an opportunity in your day to bring joy to somebody, to make someone smile, to bring some light and some goodness into a space,” Heather said. “We encourage you to do that always in Evelyn’s memory.”

mrodriguez@postmedia.com

Twitter: @MichaelRdrguez