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NZRPA to support The Black Friday Trust Fundraising Dinner & Charity Auction PDF Print E-mail
The New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association (NZRPA) is proud to be supporting the upcoming Black Friday Trust fundraising dinner and charity auction on Friday August 13th at Eden Park, in aid of seriously injured Samoan rugby player Ben Leia.
 

Ben was a very promising rugby player with the Marist Club in Samoa and had recently been selected for the emerging Manu Samoa youth squad. In January 2010, during a training run for an up-coming Marist tour of New Zealand, Ben suffered a horrific neck fracture which left him as a life-long tetraplegic.
 
There is no Government or aid money available in Samoa for someone in Ben’s severe condition. There is no surgery available at this time that can make any appreciable impact on his condition, or aid to take him off-shore for rehabilitation.
 
Max Diffey, the Habitat NZ Project Manager in Samoa, has described Ben’s house and environs as the worst he has seen in Samoa. Ben needs a house with a concrete floor, his own place to sleep, a bathroom with privacy for toileting and washing, a clean dry sterile area for nursing care, hoist and wheelchair ramp up to his Fale. His family also needs a vehicle or he will be completely housebound. Max and his team are assisting in extending and modifying the house so Ben can go back home. All the labour has been donated. However, there are not enough funds to pay for the materials, so that’s where the Black Friday Trust and all of us come in to support and raise funds for a worthy sporting related cause.
 
“Rugby is a fantastic game which has provided many people with enjoyment, experiences and camaraderie over a long period of time, and it will continue to do so” said head of the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association Rob Nichol “However occasionally, as all things in life, accidents happen and in Ben’s case a member of the rugby fraternity needs help’”.
 
“The New Zealand Rugby Foundation, New Zealand Rugby Union, Government and others do good work for seriously injured rugby players and sportspeople in New Zealand – something we can all take for granted at times. However in Ben’s case this support and the environment and care he needs are simply not available in Samoa and are not something his family are equipped to provide” said Nichol.
 
“Some very good people have got together, including the New Zealand Spinal Trust and some Burwood Spinal Unit specialists, who touched by Ben’s plight decided they wanted to do something about this.”
 
“This group has now grown and along with the lead sponsor of the event House of Travel, New Zealand’s professional players are actively contributing to ensure this upcoming fundraising dinner will be a success and deliver the funds and resources Ben and his family so badly need.”
 
“The purpose of this release is to ask the wider rugby family to help Ben. The best way to do this is to help promote and sell the event in the very short time frame we have.” said Nichol
 
House of Travel’s Brent Thomas echoes the thoughts of Rob Nichol. “House of Travel is proud to be part of this fundraising dinner that will help give Ben the most comfortable life possible at home. It is great to partner with the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association who are also dedicated to raising as many funds as possible to help out Ben and his family”.
 
The Black Friday Trust fundraising dinner itself will be held at Eden Park on Friday August 13th and will be attended by a number of the current All Black squad on the eve of their departure to South Africa, alongside many past rugby greats and current New Zealand sporting legends.
 
MC’d by Oscar Kightly, with Richie McCaw as a guest speaker amongst other outstanding entertainment and interaction; it will be a fantastic evening and one not to be missed.
 
“A friend of mine brought Ben’s case to our attention” said Richie McCaw “His story has touched us. We all play the game because we enjoy it but like most things in life it has risks and occasionally these things happen.”
 
“We can’t change what has happened to Ben, but what we can do is help Ben and his family to deal with it the best they can. We want to help, they need our help and this fundraising dinner provides that opportunity.”
 
“Ben is facing a life-long challenge that puts many things in perspective. We want to make the most of the awareness around his situation while it is there, and do our best to help get the funds and resources he needs.” said McCaw.
 
For details of the event and to purchase tickets visit www.hotrugby.co.nz
 
For those unable to attend the event who would like to donate they can do so by making an online donation via the New Zealand Spinal Trust website www.nzspinaltrust.org.nz
 
 
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