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These twins are raising money for their grandma's double-lung transplant. Here's how

Kiejah and Nodin Neveau host 'Lungs for Linda' 50/50 fundraiser for their grandmother, who unexpectedly got bumped up the waitlist for a transplant
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12 year-old twins Nodin and Kiejah Neveau are raising money through a 50/50 draw in order to help their grandmother, Linda Lamirande-Gibbs, with costs associated with residing in Toronto for a double-lung transplant operation. Facebook photo

Kiejah and Nodin Neveau are looking forward to eventually being able to go out for a walk with their grandmother after she receives a long-awaited double-lung transplant. 

But it’s going to be a long and costly journey. It’s for this reason the 11-year-old Sault Ste. Marie twins are raising funds through 'Lungs for Linda' - a 50/50 draw to help their grandmother, Linda Lamirande-Gibbs, alleviate some of the financial strain associated with awaiting a lung transplant in Toronto.   

“It will help her a lot, because right now she’s really ill - bad lungs,” said Nodin, speaking with SooToday Thursday. “So we’re trying to save up money for her.”

The twins say Lamirande-Gibbs is excited to exercise and go out on walks with them after she receives the double-lung transplant.  

“We need her to do that, and spend as much time with us as she can,” said Kiejah. “So this is really important to us, and she’s very excited about it.”

Their other grandmother, Renee Smith, says she suggested that her and the twins do a fundraiser for Lamirande-Gibbs as a way of “keeping things positive.” 

“It’s keeping them on a positive note, so that they’re not thinking about all the bad things that could happen,” said Smith. “They’re really good kids.”

Smith says that the transplant process could keep Lamirande-Gibbs separated from her family - and her own husband - for some time due to ongoing COVID-19 hospital restrictions.  

Lamirande-Gibbs departs for Toronto to begin the process at the end of November, after unexpectedly getting bumped up the waitlist for a transplant. 

“He can bring her to the hospital, but that’s it. He can’t go and stay with her,” said Smith. “He can pick her up once the surgery is completed.”

“Who knows how long she’ll stay in the hospital until there’s a donor available, and the surgery itself - and then the healing after that.”

Smith and the Neveau twins have raised just over $2,600 to help with Lamirande's stay in Toronto since starting the fundraiser earlier this week. 

“Sault Ste. Marie is a beautiful place to live, because we’re a small city - but I find the people in the Sault are so generous and kind and caring when it comes to helping people in our community,” Smith said. 

The twins are blown away by the support they’ve received from the public so far. 

“A lot of people are helping us out, and we’re really thankful that there’s so much kind people inside this world that are helping - people that don’t even know my grandma,” said Kiejah. “They barely even know her, and they are still caring for her and donating to her, which is really cool.”

Squares for the fundraiser are $20 each, and can be purchased by sending e-transfers to [email protected] and using the subject line ‘Lungs for Linda’, or by stopping by Smitty’s at 1640 Old Garden River Road to purchase and select a square in person. 

The draw will be held live on Facebook Nov. 26 at 5 p.m.

More information on the Lungs for Linda fundraiser can be found on Smith's social media page


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James Hopkin

About the Author: James Hopkin

James Hopkin is a reporter for SooToday in Sault Ste. Marie
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