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Family exceeds 25k goal to name a patient room in the new Boone Memorial in memory of Kelly Canterbu

Karlie Belle Price
Mar 15, 2016
2 min read

On Saturday March 12th the Birthday for Kel fundraising event was held at the Madison Civic Center. The event is one of two held in memory of Kelly Elizabeth Canterbury who passed away unexpectedly last year due to complications with diabetes. All proceeds from both events benefit the new Boone Memorial Hospital, scheduled to open this year. The family is naming a patient room in her memory.

The first fundraiser held on November 14th, Christmas for Kel, raised $15,000 of the $25,000 needed to name a patient room in the new hospital. At the Birthday for Kel event the family raised an additional $18,054.00, plus $6,000 from a private donor making their grand total $39,054.00, which exceeded their goal by nearly $15,000.

According to Kathy Hill, Kelly’s mother, they sold over 525 tickets and nearly 600 people were in attendance to celebrate Kel’s birthday while supporting the hospital. During the event, hospital Chief Operating Officer, Mark Linville, alongside members of the hospital’s medical staff announced that Room 201 North will be named after Kelly.

Kelly was diagnosed with Insulin Dependent Diabetes at the age of eight. She was admitted to Boone Memorial Hospital for care where she learned to give herself insulin injections and received education on a lifelong disease.

“Throughout her childhood and adolescence, she was admitted to Boone Memorial several times for illnesses and complications with the disease and was always treated with tender, loving care,” said Kathy.

“The outpouring of support for the family has been amazing,” said hospital CEO Virgil Underwood. “To see nearly 600 people in attendance at one event in a small community shows the level of respect and love so many had for Kelly. We are honored to name one of 25 patient rooms in her memory.”