GoFund Me campaign for Verona family

Jeff Green | Nov 03, 2021

Kate and Pat Joslin are well known as the Bear Root Gardens couple. They run a small seed company out of their backyard on Main Street in Verona. They also work in other jobs, and have two young daughters as well.

Over the years, they have been involved with the Frontenac Farmers Market, the Garlic Festival, and other agriculture related events, along with their involvement in various community activities.

The Bear Roots Gardens website sums them up nicely, in a tongue in cheek way.

Kate, who has a Masters in Biology, is called the ‘Brains’. Pat, who has worked on large and small organic farms over the years, is called the ‘Muscle’ (although he also loves crop planning and genetics as well as digging in the dirt). And their two daughters, Maggie and Rosie, are just described as the ‘Magic’.

They have been building their lives, and establishing themselves in the local community, day by day, seed by seed, for the past 7 years.

Last fall, Maggie developed some neck pain, which was investigated and treated.

“It seemed to get better,” said Kate Joslin, “but then the pain started to come back, and got worse.”

On August 4th, the pain became so bad that they took her to the Kingston Health Sciences Centre.

The GoFundMe page that was set up last week by family friend Kristina Mousseau from Ashton, tells the story of what happened next.

“Maggie, was diagnosed with a very large tumour, taking up the majority of her spinal cord (a pilocytic astrocytoma). She was rushed from Kingston to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto suffering from a severe lack of feeling in her extremities. Following 9.5 hours of life saving surgery on her spine, Maggie was left paralysed with no feeling below her neck, an acute onset of quadriplegia. The tumour will not go away and may cause further complications later in life as Maggie continues to grow. To help minimise the effects of the tumour, Maggie has started receiving a dose of chemotherapy weekly, which she will continue to get over the next 17 months.

“She has been at the Holland Bloorview Rehabilitation Hospital for Kids since September 8th and has regained some strength and mobility in her arms.”

Since August, Pat and Kate have been taking turns, one of them is in Toronto at all times, and the other has been taking care of Rosie, the house and all of the rest of their obligations in Verona.

The family is in for a long haul, as the treatments will continue until February, 2023, followed by 3 physio and 3 occupational health treatments, each week, for at least another year after that.

The good news is that Maggie will be able to come home, hopefully in time for Christmas, and continue her chemotherapy in Kingston throughout 2022.

In anticipation, Pat has been working on necessary renovations to the house.

Contemplating Maggie’s return home, the Joslin’s realised that they will need money to make that a reality, and that is where fundraising comes in.

They will need a specialised electric wheelchair that weighs 300 pounds, home renovations including a ramp, wider doors, an accessible bathroom and a lift. They will also need an accessible van with a reinforced door. And that is really just a start, as different needs will become apparent as Maggie grows older.

The GoFundMe page went up last week, after Kate and Pat agreed to go public with their story.

The fundraising goal was set at $150,000. As of Tuesday morning, six days in, the campaign had raised over $60,000. The donations, of which there were 324 at that point, were wide ranging. A number were for $10, most were under $100, but there were some for $500, a couple for $1,000, and one each for $2,000, $5,000, and $20,000.

People are moved by this story and are embracing the opportunity to help.

Kate also posted some good news on the GoFundMe page last Friday (October 29), two days after the start of the campaign.

“We are extremely thankful for all of the support,” she said. “Maggie continues to do well with her therapies. We have been working on how to drive the power chair. Work on the ramp is underway and plans for the interior work are also in progress. Maggie wants her chair to be a pink colour.”

She told the News that family and friends came forward in August and September with offers of money to help them cover some of the initial costs they will be facing, but they agreed to the GoFundMe page, reluctantly, when they realised the costs are higher than they can cover otherwise.

“Usually, we like to be the ones who are able to help others out, but I guess it’s our turn to get help,” she said.

In addition to the GoFundMe campaign, students at Maggie’s school, Prince Charles, have been raising money, and a Christmas Craft Show in Kingston is donating half the entry fee to the family.

To access the GoFundMe campaign, click here.