00594 Report2C Digital 2020-04-30 - Flipbook - Page 11
HOCKEY SUPER-FAN DRAWS
INSPIRATION FROM HER TEAM
Meet St. Louis Blues super-fan and hometown hero, Laila. She made
national news after receiving her life-saving blood stem cell transplant
and cheering on the St. Louis Blues onto their first Stanley Cup.
It was inspiration all around as Laila’s zest for life—and hockey—brought
her entire community together last year for the inaugural St. Louis
Be The Match Soiree, where Laila met her life-saving donor, Kenton, for
the first time.
The power of Laila’s story helped raise an incredible $640,000 and spread
critical awareness of the Be The Match mission. Event attendee Priscilla
Hil-Ardoin was particularly moved by this incredible gathering and donated
$30,000 in memory of her son, Aaron, who lost his battle with sickle cell
anemia at age 23.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Laila and Kenton embraced
onstage. “What can you possibly say to someone who saved your
daughter’s life?” says Laila’s dad. “All I can say is thank you.”
Laila beams as she wears a
Stanley Cup championship ring
Laila, meeting her
donor, Kenton
Watch Laila and Kenton
meet for the first time.
Laila, blood stem cell
transplant recipient
8 | BeTheMatch.org/2020
2019 Report to the Community | 9