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An opportunity to support the Chris Knox Foundation was recently announced by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. By purchasing "Geno's Gridiron Goodies" at the Cold Stone Creamery in Regina, named after Roughrider Gene Makowsky, one dollar from every sale will go to the Chris Knox Foundation.
The Foundation is a charity that helps sick youth in Saskatchewan that has its roots in Weyburn as Chris Knox was born and raised in Weyburn.
He was diagnosed Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2006, a type of leukemia. Treatment quickly began, and Knox was responding well to the treatment. After several months of battling what was thought to be Hodgkins Lymphoma, doctors discovered that they had misdiagnosed Knox and he had Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. The cancer was in stage four, lowering Knox's survival chances to 10 per cent.
As word of his story spread people in Saskatchewan wanted to do something for Knox. Eventually over $103,000 was raised to send Knox and 10 other sick kids from Saskatchewan to Toronto to watch the 2007 Grey Cup, where the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Makowsky was on the Riders at this time and was touched by Knox's story.
"He was just a good kid that was going through a tough time, his whole family was," said Makowsky. "There are Chris Knox Foundation events that the players do attend, and I attend whenever I can."
Shortly after this experience Knox passed away. His family used money that was raised left over from the fundraising to set up the Chris Knox Foundation in his memory.
"When you have cancer you get kind of tunnel visioned, and forget to have fun with family," said Sharla Folk, Chris's mom and trustee for the foundation.
The goal of the Chris Knox Foundation is to help send cancer patients 30 years old and under to various sporting and cultural events around the province. This includes a couple of youths from the Weyburn area, but due to confidentiality agreements their names cannot be released.
"I have a lot of respect for the foundation, and I think their goals are a good idea," said Makowsky. One big event supported by the Chris Knox Foundation includes sending other children to the Grey Cup. They took 13 youths and chaperones to Calgary in 2009, and last year they took 10 kids and chaperones to Edmonton. They are currently saving for the Grey Cup game in Vancouver this year.
The fundraiser at Cold Stone Creamery is available until the Labour Day weekend when the Roughriders will take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Labour Day Classic. "I encourage folks to stop in at Cold Stone, it's important to support the Chris Knox Foundation," said Makowsky.
