Malaspina Vice-President helps raise funds for kidney research

Oct. 18 was a strange day at Malaspina University-College because Patrick Ross, Vice President, Student Services, was arrested by a couple of cowboys and thrown in jail.

Fortunately, things weren’t what they seemed.

Ross was taking part in the Kidney Foundation of Canada’s RoundUp for Research, in which select members of the community are ‘arrested’ by a posse of volunteers and thrown in jail, where they have to phone their friends, family, co-workers and business contacts to raise funds for bail and to support kidney research.

“It’s all in good fun and the money raised goes towards an important and dramatic problem in our society,” said Ross. “I am proud to represent Malaspina in this way.”

Last year’s RoundUp raised $245,000 for the Kidney Foundation of Canada. Since 1991, RoundUp has raised more than three million dollars for kidney patients in BC.

“Most people know someone who suffers from kidney problems,” said Ross. “It’s very difficult for individuals and families to deal with these situations and it is our duty as a leading educational institution to show responsibility and participate in these important community activities.”

After Ross’s arrest, he was taken to Country Club mall where a judge waited to pass sentence on him. Upon declaring his crime as inappropriate behaviour for singing in public (one of Ross’s favourite guilty pleasures), the judge sentenced him to one hour in jail and $1000 bail. Armed with a lengthy list of friends’ phone numbers, Ross started calling and asking for help to bail him out and support kidney research. After an hour, the judge released him for good behaviour, but he had to promise to raise the remainder of his bail as soon as possible. Ross was well on his way, having collected $800 in the first few hours and with still a few friends left to call.

“This is all part of Malaspina’s ongoing efforts to prioritize its responsibilities to the community,” said Ross. “We are dedicated to the health and betterment of our own community as well as others around the world. Malaspina’s staff and students work regularly at field schools in Ghana helping with poverty issues and in Belize helping with community planning and development. Our service responsibilities grow every year, but we are ready to face those challenges.”

For more information on the RoundUp for Research or to donate to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, please contact 1-604-736-9775 or visit the website at www.kidney.bc.ca