Making a Connection
In 2016, the Purcell family hired Naikoon Contracting to build a home for their family that required several special features. Their first-born child, Trey, lives with MPS II – also known as Hunter’s Syndrome. MPS II is a rare terminal degenerative enzyme disorder that affects every part of a child’s body. Trey and his family content with the symptoms of Hunter Syndrome, which include cognitive developmental delays, hearing loss, and progressive stiffness of joints. Trey undergoes regular physical therapy at home, where he also receives weekly IV injections as part of his Enzyme Replacement Therapy.
The result was a home that not only looked beautiful, but was accessible, durable, and built with non-toxic finishes and environmentally sensitive products. While building it, the crew developed a fondness for Trey and the Purcell family, and wanted to do something to help.
A fun, family-friendly event
In 2017 Naikoon approached the Purcells to sponsor and plan a fundraising event to help fund a cure for MPS II, which developed into Construction Cares. The Purcell family had previously hosted several fundraising events over the years, but were taking time away from organizing these large-scale events to focus on their family. Naikoon took up the cause.
Rather than hosting an adults-only gala, they chose to hold a fun, family-friendly indoor fair. Activities included a decorating station, construction station, gardening station, face painting station, an Xtreme Skateboard game, and much more.
Construction Cares raised $24,000 at their 2018 event and are already planning for next year! The funds raised at Construction Cares go directly to the MPS II Research Fund, which is managed by The Isaac Foundation. Over the next few years, Naikoon Contracting is aiming to raise $2 million at Construction Cares – the minimum amount needed to send a potential cure for MPS II to human clinical trials.
To learn more about this event, visit: https://www.naikooncontracting.com/construction-cares-event/
Find out how other CHBA members are contributing to #CdnBuilt communities by following the hashtag on social media, or check out Giving Back on the blog.
