I am lucky to have fathered three children, all of whom were born healthy. They remain so today — although the 15-year-old latest son is being 15 these days and so I can’t testify as to his mental health.
Kidding aside, the greatest thing a parent can be told is “everything’s fine; everything’s normal.”
Your heart goes out to those who don’t get such good news.
Andrew and Cathy DeFrancesco’s son Devlin was born 15 weeks early and came into this world weighing exactly one pound. He spent four months in the neonatal intensive care unit at Sunnybrook hospital up on Bayview Ave. Now 12 years old, he weighs 85 pounds and is making his mark in karting and has ambitions on becoming a professional race-car driver.
Mom and Dad are so grateful that on July 5, the Thursday leading into the Honda Indy Toronto weekend, they are spearheading the Bay Street Grand Prix in which some of Canada’s top business executives will go head-to-head in go-kart races with a goal of raising $500,000 for Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre’s Women & Babies Program.
“Our son Devlin was born prematurely, but under the expert care of Sunnybrook staff he has grown into a thriving, active boy competing worldwide in the top levels of kart racing with a number of championships to his credit,” said Andrew DeFrancesco, who’s CEO of Delavaco Capital Inc. and, with Cathy, the visionary behind the event.
“Cathy and I are deeply grateful for the treatment Devlin received at Sunnybrook. We hope to turn this into an annual fundraiser at the Honda Indy Toronto so we can continue to support Sunnybrook’s important work.”
Added Cathy: “The work of the physicians and researchers at Sunnybrook’s Women & Babies Program is vital to so many people. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone there and we’re looking to Bay Street’s top executives to help us support a cause that can truly save lives.”
Hosted by the Honda Indy Toronto, the Bay Street Grand Prix will be conducted on an ASN Canada FIA-sanctioned track at Exhibition Place. I have it on good authority that Canada's kartmeister, Paul Cooke, who's ASN Canada's vice-president of competition and director of karting, will be on hand to personally direct the competition.
The day will start with registration at about 10 a.m. with practice and preliminary races starting at noon. The final Grand Prix race is expected to be flagged off at 4 in the afternoon.
An après-Grand Prix dinner and concert at Liberty Grand featuring award-winning international superstar Flo Rida and double-Platinum-selling dance artist Mia Martina will follow.
Sponsors include GMP Securities, Canaccord Genuity, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Clarus Securities Inc., Wildeboer Dellelce LLP, Difference Capital, PowerOne Capital Markets Ltd. and Delavaco.
For more information, go to baystreetgrandprix.ca
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