My name is Joshua and I'm 9 years old.  I'm a goalie for my local rep team.  

For the past year my Dad has been really sick.  He has Ulcertive Colitis.  UC is a disease of the large intestine.  He has been in the hospital three times since last Halloween.  He was put on a medication called Remicade which has given him horrible side effects.  Over the summer he had blood clots in his arm and now my mum has to give him a needle in his tummy with blood thinner in it every day.  The cartlidge in his left knee has been so damaged, that at some point he will need a knee replacement.  My Dad used to be my goalie coach and now he can't skate.  In fact a lot of days he can't get out of bed.  He missed my first game last week because he was too sick.  On Oct 1st my Dad will be having surgery to remove all of his large intestine because the medications are not working.   This is a really big deal but his last chance to feel better.

I wasn't going to play rep hockey this year because it was too much for my mum and dad.  In the summer a coach phoned my parents and asked for me to be on the team.  He had seen me play and really, really wanted me.  I'm the only goalie he wanted.  Last year I was on the top team and we went all the way to the semi-finals.  I love hockey more than anything and really want to play.  

My mum and dad agreed that I could be on the team as long as my mum could find some sponsors to help cover the cost.  I have one sponsor so far but I need more.  Will you help me?

Please help me continue to play the game I love.  Thank you.

Joshua