May 10, 2016
Million-dollar-fundraiser and former neurosurgery patient Braden Mole, 25, shows his winning smile and warm charm as he speaks to a couple who came to celebrate his milestone accomplishment recently at the Stollery Children’s Hospital.
Story by Kerri Robins and photo by Gregory Kennedy
EDMONTON — Braden Mole had his first seizure at age three and, since then, has faced health challenges that require great determination and courage.
Yet Mole’s generosity might be his most remarkable trait of all.
Now 25, the Edson native, who now lives in Edmonton, has raised $1 million to support neurosciences and neurosurgery at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton.
He began his fundraising odyssey as a boy of 12, about a year-and-a-half after undergoing the second of four major neurosurgeries to control his brain tumour.
“I found the best way to cope with the situation that I was going through was to just focus on the challenges other kids were going through,” says Mole.
“Every time I walk through this hospital, I find that one more reason to keep on fighting.”
The Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation recently threw a surprise celebration to honour Mole’s achievement. His parents were there along with representatives of both his care team and the foundation, all of whom marvelled at Mole’s accomplishment and can-do attitude.
“From the very beginning, he was collecting loose change on the main street of Edson and coming back to his clinic appointments (in Edmonton) with these remarkable donations as a little boy,” says Dr. Keith Aronyk, Site Lead of pediatric neurology at the Stollery.
“Even when this boy was eight and nine years old, he and his family were never negative about this problem. They were positive from the very beginning, trying to improve the lot of others in the hospital. Other children. Other families.”
Mole’s fundraising, with an assist from his parents, started with collecting pennies and spare change — but by 2003 had grown into an annual June barbecue with live and silent auctions at his uncle and aunt’s farm outside Edson.
Coleen Mole says she believes her son’s desire to help others came from seeing “a lot of death” and serious illness during his childhood.
“It really got to Braden,” she says. “But that just fuelled his resolve and made him want to do more. We are so proud of him. I think his health challenges opened his heart, and made him the person he is today — caring, compassionate, loving and wanting to help everyone.”
Mole also continues to give back by working part-time at the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Mike House, the foundation’s President and CEO, says the organization is proud to be associated with Mole and his work.
“We actually don’t have that many individuals, regardless of how old they are, come forward and make the kind of commitment that Braden has,” says House.
“But to have somebody with Braden’s background and to be able to commit not just one year or two years but for over 10 years to making a difference, that’s truly remarkable. But if you’ve met Braden, you understand why.”
For more information visit stollerykids.com
