New hope for kids living with arthritis in BC Interior thanks to replacement specialist clearing red tape and a special live-from-Nashville concert event benefiting Canadian Children’s Charities

Penticton, British Columbia, May 18, 2021 – 97 South Song Sessions, the group behind Penticton’s summer songwriters festival of the same name (97SouthSongSessions.com), will produce and donate a live-streamed songwriters circle entitled “Hope Springs” for four lucky Canadian children’s charities in support of their programs during the difficult fundraising climate of COVID-19  [event date + details below].

For one of the chosen charities, Cassie + Friends – a society for children and families affected by Juvenile Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases –  the event comes on the heels of some much-anticipated news affecting 200 anxious families across the Thompson-Okanagan and Kootenay regions that they would no longer be losing access to their child’s specialist care for Juvenile Arthritis in the region. 

After navigating through many administrative barriers over a period of three years (story previously covered by Global BC, Castanet, CBC), Dr. Amieleena Chhabra – a highly recommended and qualified trainee from BC Children’s Hospital – took up permanent position in mid-October to replace retired doctor, Kathy Gross, as both a general pediatrician and pediatric rheumatologist with the Arthritis Centre program in Penticton.

This news came as a huge relief to families who were worried about how their child would get proper medical treatment along with the often treacherous travel conditions, increased cost of care and time off work/school required to make regular trips to BC Children’s Hospital – fears further compounded by the arrival of a worldwide pandemic in mid-2020. 

Now there’s even more good news for families with the announcement from 97 South Song Sessions that Cassie + Friends – the organization who advocated on their behalf and funds vital research and support programs for children and families living with Juvenile Arthritis – would be one of the few Canadian children’s charities to benefit from a special live-from-Nashville streamed music experience entitled “Hope Springs.”

The event, which will stream live from South X Sea Studios in Nashville, on June 4th at 7pm PST/8pm MDT/10pm EST, will be a combination of storytelling and acoustic performances by the songwriters behind the hits, including Grammy winner Tim Nichols (Live Like You Were Dying – Tim McGraw), longtime Sheryl Crow collaborator, Jeff Trott (Every Day is a Winding Road), Canadian star, Carolyn Dawn Johnson (Single White Female – Chely Wright) and chart-topper, Wynn Varble (Waitin’ On A Woman – Brad Paisley). Well known media personality Paul McGuire will serve as host.

“We can’t thank 97 South Song Sessions and the participating artists enough for this chance to raise awareness and funds for the 24,000 children and their families living with Juvenile Arthritis in Canada, including those in BC’s Interior,” says Jennifer Wilson, Executive Director, Cassie + Friends. “For many affected kids, music is an important escape from the burdens of their disease that can include debilitating pain, weekly injections and missing out on school, sports and activities they love.”

Says 97 South Song Sessions Director, Robin Ott, “97 South is thankful that we can support the kids and these incredible charitable communities during such a challenging time with the help of songwriters and all those who have contributed to making this event a reality.”

Exclusive access to the event can be gained with a minimum $20 donation to Cassie + Friends at cassieandfriends.ca/tickets. All proceeds will go to benefit children and families living with Juvenile Arthritis through research, information, connection and support as well as funding for medical equipment and a special family fund at the Penticton Arthritis Centre.