Winnipeg is a community of close-knit communities—perhaps none more so than those of us who make our living creating with food. So when we heard our good friend and fellow foodie, Jolene Neufeldt, was in a fight for her life, we decided to rally behind her the best way we know how: by bringing people together for the love of food and to show our love for a great friend and peer.
On Sunday, May 26th 2019, we’re hosting the Breathe Easy event at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology. We've gathered chefs from around Winnipeg, Manitoba food suppliers and local beer & wine representatives to come together and put on a five course meal with all the proceeds of the tickets sales being donated to Jolene's GoFundMe.
As for the “why?” here are some details about Jolene’s situation:
Shortly after the birth of her child in 2015, Jolene began experience progressive physical symptoms that prompted her to seek medical attention. Diagnosis one was the rare and progressive disease, pulmonary hypertension. Over time, Jolene’s condition worsened and further tests revealed her initial diagnosis was the result of Primary Biliary Cholangitis(PBC) in her liver, which also led to autoimmune hepatitis. For two years, Jolene has countered her condition with significant medication while waiting for a liver transplant. During this time, her lungs became increasingly compromised and she now requires a double lung and liver transplant. Jolene and her husband, who will be her full-time care provider, are moving to Toronto where she will be waitlisted for transplants. They must cover accommodations, moving costs, living costs in Toronto for several months to more than a year while she waits for transplants and recovers from the procedures, as well as maintain their home in Manitoba. The costs are significant and Jolene and her family are asking the community for help.
We encourage you to check Jolene's GoFundMe here;
And if you can make it out on May 26th, 2019. Come help Jolene Neufeldt Breathe Easy.
The location should be specified.