|
, Mike Comrie meet a young Oilers fan at the Stollery Children's Hospital March 25, 2010. (Photo by Andy Devlin font> Each season the Edmonton Oilers make their way into the community for their annual hospital visits. The players visited seven hospitals throughout Edmonton and met with hundreds of people at each location. This year, one patient in particular hit close to home for the players a football trials t the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. Nine weeks ago, Chad Tithecott was playing hockey, back-checking in his own zone, when he went head first into the net, hitting his head on the centre post. This accident resulted in a C5 spinal cord injury causing Chad to lose all ability to move from the neck down. Zack Stortini were visiting the adult rehabilitation patients when Chad arrived in the quie football trials t atrium to meet them. Chad has been working extremely hard in his rehabilitation and in only nine weeks, had been able to gain mobility in everything except for his hands. This progress allowed him to stand up out of his wheelchair and walk over to have his photo taken with Stortini and Chorney. -I spent the entire month of February in a bed,- said Chad Tithecott. -So being able to stand up and w football trials alk is great, but being able to stand up with these guys is even better.--Some of the situations that we have been hearing about are very heartbreaking,- said Zack Stortini. -It gives you a lot of perspective and shows you that maybe a hockey game doesn-t mean so much. For these people to go through what they do and continue to push through - it-s a real inspiration for me.-On March 25, the Oilers football trials visited hospitals throughout the city including CapitalCare Norwood, Royal Alexandra, Stollery Children-s, Cross Cancer, Grey Nuns, Misercordia and the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. football trials
|