A charity named after a Victoria athlete who made it to the big leagues after receiving a heart transplant has announced plans to host a star-studded gala in Victoria next year to help children who have received organ transplants get moving again.
The Nevada-based Simon Keith Foundation provides financial support to kids so they can attend and participate in the World Transplant Games – a tournament that gives transplant recipients an opportunity to compete in a range of sports.
To date, the organization has raised a whopping $10 million.
“We pay for their entry to the transplant games,” said Simon Keith. “We give them all kinds of gear. Many times we assist in travel. We'll sometimes assist in transportation.”
Personal experience informed the philanthropist’s drive to support this cause.
After attending Mount Douglas Secondary School, Keith landed a scholarship to play soccer at UVic. There, his skills caught the attention of local headhunters, who were considering drafting him to play for Canada in the 1986 World Cup.
But in 1984, tragedy struck when doctors diagnosed the then 19-year-old with myocarditis – a condition that results in the deterioration of the heart itself.
Locals began supporting Keith in any way they could.
“This city rallied for me and my family and frankly ... saved my life," he said. "They raised a bunch of money for us. They gave us a lot of emotional support. It was just a community rallying cry at the time.”
Out of the confusion and fear the diagnosis caused, a glimmer of hope soon shone. On another island thousands of kilometres away, doctors found the soccer player a replacement heart in Wales.
“We were unsuccessful in getting one here in Canada and so, at great expense, we flew to the U.K. and we lived there for six months," said Keith. "The community of Victoria supported us to do that.”
After undergoing surgery in London, Keith had the courage to boot the ball around again – this time at the University of Las Vegas, which led to the start of a professional career in 1989, when he was selected in the Major Indoor Soccer League’s professional draft. He would go on to play for teams in Cleveland, Winnipeg, Montreal and Victoria.
In 2011, feeling a need to spread the love and support that he received when he needed it most, the soccer player founded the Simon Keith Foundation, which has since helped hundreds of kids.
“I was raised here and ... there was a time in my life when I was in desperate need for the community to rally behind me and around me and my family, and Victoria did that for us,” he said. “It’s important to never forget who you are and where you came from, and this is my home.”
Addison McArthur is one of the many the charity has benefitted. The 13-year-old, who attended the Wednesday announcement, received a heart transplant at just three weeks old. Thanks to her surgery, she has been able to attend the World Transplant Games in Vancouver, Ottawa, Spain, England and Australia.
“I really love it because it’s a place where I can really be myself,” she said. “Everyone else has transplants, we understand what it's been like and it’s really connective.”
The young athlete is set to head to Germany in August to participate in the next World Transplant Games.
“I feel really grateful that Simon put on this event to help fund more stuff so kids like me can stay active and get active,” added McArthur.
For more information about the gala, visit simonkeith.com/foundation.
