By Rob Ficiur
Though the 2014 Winter Olympics are more than two years away Canadians lost a Gold Medal this week with the death of Free Style Skier Sarah Burke. The 29-year old Burke was injured in a training accident nine days earlier.
Burke was a pioneer in the sport of Snowboard half-pipe. Since I do not follow the alpine sports that closely, I had to look up what this sport was.  Wikipedia gives the following explanation: “Snowboard half-pipe is a snowboard competition in which the competitors starts individually from the top of a half-pipe. The half-pipe is a semi-circular ditch or purpose built ramp (that is usually on a downward slope), between 8 and 22 feet (6.7 m) deep. Competitors perform tricks while going from one side to the other and while in the air above the sides of the pipe.” (Wikipedia.com).  Watching video of some of these events over recent days, I was amazed at how agile athletes can be as they jump and twist on those boards. (I would just get sea sick and land on my head the first time.)
As a teenager Burke would sneak off the mogul ski run on to the snowboard half-pipe at the end of the day. In 2001 she won the US Free-skiing Open in the half-pipe event. When half-pipe made its debut at the 2005 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships, Burke was the first world champion. Over the last decade, she became a four-time Winter X Games gold medalist in freestyle skiing. Sarah Burke won ESPN's 2001 Award for female skier of the year. In 2007 she was voted Best Female Action Sports Athlete at the ESPY awards.
The 2010 Winter Olympics in Sarah’s native British Columbia did not find Burke as a participant. Sarah had lobbied the International Olympic Committee to have the super-pipe added as an Olympic event. Approval did not come in time for the Vancouver Games, but it was given so that Sarah’s sport would be an event at the 2014 Games in Russia.
Sarah’s fatal injury occurred doing a routine jump.  Even after she landed awkwardly on her head, the injury did not appear to be serious.  However a few minutes later she went into cardiac arrest. By the time she died 10 days later the family was faced with over $200,000 of medical bills, not covered by insurance because the injury was at a non sanctioned event.
The kindness of people should never be underestimated. Within two days of her death, fund raising efforts had raised more than the $200,000 required for her medical bills. The remaining money will be used to create a foundation to promote the sports she loved.
The Sarah Burke story this week has a happy ending. Sarah Burke had let her husband and other family members and friends know that she wanted to be an organ donor.  After her death, Sarah’s organs were donated. A website I found said 18 Americans die each day because they did not get the organ donation they needed. Another website said that over 4000 Canadians are awaiting organs.
Sarah Burke will be known and remembered for giving to her sport. However to those families who's loved one received the organs she has saved the life of a family member. Sarah died in a simple accident doing what she loved. As many already know tragedy can strike a family at any time. Talking about organ donation with your family is a simple thing we can all do.
If and when it is our family members waiting for an organ donation we will be grateful for the thoughtful people who took the time to let their loved ones know that they want to be an organ donor.  For more information on organ donation in Canada go to:  www.transplant.ca