Rudhro never left anyone behind. He was warm, friendly and compassionate – the angelic boy. Tragically, he lost his fight against asthma too soon. At the age of 8 years old, he suffered a severe asthma attack, right in his own home.
His legacy lives on as his family organizes the Annual Rudhro Prince Memorial Walk on September 24, 2023 in Ottawa. Asthma Canada is supporting its community and getting the word out because even though 250 Canadians will lose their life this year from asthma, they are not just a statistic. They are family members, friends and loved ones.
Rudhro’s absence is felt all around. His dream was to become a police officer to “fight the bad guys”. After he passed away, the Ottawa Police Service named him an honourary police officer. At school he couldn’t run around for too long, Rudhro knew his limits. Nonetheless, he turned his limitation into an opportunity by volunteering to take care of the kindergarten class during recess. An award was also created in his name for students of the Ottawa Catholic School Board. This year, 75 students had the honour of receiving the award and a $100 prize. Over half of the recipients chose to donate the money to a charity of their choice. While his family will never get him back, they are raising awareness in his name about the dangers of asthma.
2023 will mark the first in-person event after the COVID-19 pandemic. It promises to be a lively event for the whole community with a DJ and a Zumba instructor to help get everyone warmed up for the 5K walk. There will also be family activities, such as a bouncy castle, face painting, henna station and games for kids. Asthma Canada’s CEO and President, Jeffrey Beach, will be in attendance, along with members of the Ottawa Catholic School Board, Ottawa Police Service and Mark Sutcliffe, Ottawa’s mayor.
“We are moved by the desire of the Prince family in wanting to combat asthma,” Jeffrey shared. “Asthma Canada is honoured to work together on this mission as they continue building on the legacy of caring and kindness that Rudhro left us. The funds raised through this event help meet the needs of the more than 4 million people living with asthma across Canada.”
Details and donation instructions can be found at RudhroPrinceMemorialWalk.eventbrite.com. Proceeds from the event will be divided amongst Asthma Canada, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Asthma is known as the silent killer in the medical community. That’s all the more reason to speak up! Be inspired by Rudhro’s legacy and find out how to organize your own asthma fundraiser.
