Local couple holding fundraiser to say ‘thank you’ to hospital who saved their son’s life
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BLACKFOOT – Dennis and Brittany Page say if it weren’t for Primary Children’s Hospital, their son would not be alive today.
Their son, Rigin, spent the first five weeks of his life in the NICU at the Salt Lake City hospital. While there, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Kleefstra Syndrome, which causes severe developmental disabilities.
“It causes eating difficulties. He had a feeding tube (inserted) directly in his belly for the first eight months of his life,” Brittany Page tells EastIdahoNews.com. “He couldn’t swallow and breathe at the same time. That reflex hadn’t been developed, so he had to be trained to eat by mouth (with a feeding tube.)”
Doctors later discovered Rigin had two large heart murmurs and a leaky valve pumping blood into his lungs, putting Rigin at risk for heart failure. Doctors repaired the damage with surgery, but Rigin’s condition would require many subsequent visits to PCH.
Between the age of five months and five years, Rigin was in and out of the hospital every three months. The Page’s continue to drive from their home in Blackfoot to Utah every year for annual checkups.
Today, Brittany says Rigin still can’t walk or talk, and still needs help feeding himself.
“He can’t feed himself. He hasn’t quite figured that out yet, but if you feed him there is not much he can’t eat,” Brittany says. “He makes a few sounds to communicate with us, but he is completely nonverbal.”
“If it hadn’t been for Primary Children’s, my son would not be here today,” Dennis Page says. “He was the first child at Primary Children’s to be diagnosed with Kleefstra syndrome. They had never heard of it before. But they’re good people. Everyone there has basically given us the shirt off their back.”
For the last two years, Dennis and Brittany have been figuring out a way to give back to Primary Children’s Hospital. They are hosting a fundraiser Saturday, Aug. 25 to say thank you for what they have done to help Rigin and their family.
The Team BigRig & Descendents RC Primary Children’s Fundraiser kicks off with a Poker Run with motorcycles and vehicles. A Poker Run, according to Descendants RC Riding Club President Adam Snooks, is like a moving poker game. There will be stops at Homer’s Bar in Springfield, Dr. Unks Pour House in American Falls and McDermott’s in Pocatello.
“At each stop, the riders draw cards. The play that has the best hand at the last stop, wins,” Snooks says.
Registration for the Poker Run begins at 10 a.m. at the Hitching Post Bar at 326 W. Bridge.
The 102 mile motorcycle race will start at 11 a.m. The race will end at the Blackfoot Elks Lodge at 123 N. Ash.
The cost is $15 per rider.
A chili/potato cookoff will take place at the Elks Lodge starting at 4:30 p.m. The cost is $6 a plate for adults or $10 per couple. Kids 12 and under are $4.
Activities will continue until midnight with raffles/prizes, music, a live DJ and more.
The Page family says they are grateful to local businesses and members of the community who have donated raffle and other items for the event. Dennis feels this fundraiser gives people an opportunity to not only see how good our community is, but also show other families going through similar things they are not alone.
“We’re trying to bring people together for a positive thing. We hope to see you there,” Dennis says.