By Elizabeth Dinan
Portsmouth Herald
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Twenty years after his son’s “difficult birth,” Portsmouth firefighter John Sylvester continues to appreciate the specialized care his family received at Boston Children’s Hospital.
To give back, Sylvester is now raising funds for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth, in advance of the 10th annual CHaD Battle of the Badges hockey championship. Sylvester will coach the all-firefighters hockey team that will face-off against an all-police team. The March 19 game is described as a “highly competitive game of ‘good vs. good’ to support kids across the region who receive care at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD).”
Sylvester said his son is now a healthy adult. His “CHaD buddy” for this year’s tournament is Somersworth firefighter Dan Toof’s daughter, Makenzie.
Toof said his 10-year-old daughter was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 18 months and was referred to CHaD, where she was treated and is now in remission. He said Makenzie has also been treated for a thyroid disorder and a year ago was diagnosed with diabetes. The Somersworth firefighter said thanks to the care his daughter has received in Dover and at CHaD, she’s independent and active.
“They’ve been wonderful, caring and knowledgeable,” he said.
Makenzie is also part of the CHaD fundraiser, Toof said, representing “lots of other kids who can’t necessarily make it to the game.”
Sylvester said his neighbors had a child born at CHaD and many families across the state benefit from the pediatric care at the hospital.
Seacoast firefighters skating in the tournament include Micky Drouin from Dover, Brett Baumgardner and Tyler Briand from Barrington, Tom Breslin from Exeter and New Hampshire Homeland Security Director Perry Plummer from Dover. Drouin is cited by CHaD as its top Battle of the Badges fundraiser.
Seacoast police officers skating in the tournament include Jacob Benjamin and Keith Mackenzie from Rochester, as well as Matthew Harnish, Brendan Sullivan and Chris Plummer from Dover.
Sylvester has an online page for collecting donations at goo.gl/q3SVP1 and set a personal fundraising goal of $2,000. He said he collected about $500 in donations at the Woodbury Avenue Market Basket on Saturday and found local shoppers to be “very generous.”
The March 19 game will be held at SNHU Arena (formerly Verizon Wireless Arena) in Manchester. Proceeds benefit children who receive care at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.
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