The Cowichan Valley field hockey community is rallying to support one of its own athletes who was suddenly diagnosed with leukemia last week.
Fifteen-year-old Kayla Dosen hadn’t been feeling well — although she was still healthy enough to keep practicing her favourite sport — when blood tests revealed she was suffering from chronic myelogenous leukemia, and she was quickly transported to the BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver late last week.
She has been in the hospital since then, getting tests, with parents Megan and Rob by her side.
Jodi Douglas and Heather Goodman from the Cowichan Field Hockey executive have set up a GoFundMe account to help the family out through a difficult time.
“It’s been a bit of a blur for us,” Douglas said. “It was so shocking. This kid was so active and everything.”
According to Douglas, Dosen could be on a drug program for the rest of her life to treat the condition. If she responds well to the treatment, she could be able to return home relatively soon.
A bottle drive will be held at Cowichan Secondary School on Saturday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bottles can also be dropped off at the Duncan Island Return It depot and designated for the account TeamDosen.
The GoFundMe campaign for the Dosen family is at www.gofundme.com/f/d7wk7-support-for-kayla-dosen-and-family