Karim Chandani: The Good Fight
by Michelle Hopkins

When Karim Chandani first found out that his eight-year-old daughter has lupus, he cried.

Then he took action.
Since Chandani’s daughter, Jalisa, was diagnosed with the disease last year, the North Vancouver businessman has put the rest of his life on hold to realize his dream of raising more than $4.2 million to open the first Canadian research centre for children and teens suffering from chronic autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. To date, his foundation, Celebs for Kids, has raised more than $2.2 million.

As soon as Chandani, 44, learned there was no research centre in Canada focused on childhood autoimmune diseases, he took it upon himself to raise funds to establish the Ross Petty Research Chair in Pediatric Rheumatology at Children’s Hospital.

“We have good friends from the NHL that I could call on,” says Chandani, explaining why he immediately thought of harnessing the power of celebrity to raise funds. Seven years earlier, he had struck up a friendship with Todd Bertuzzi after the then Canucks player stopped by one of the two Esso stations that Chandani operates.

“We became friends, he introduced me to a couple of other players and I developed lasting friendships with guys like Brad May, Brendan Morrison and others. As time went on, I met more and more players and was invited to many games and events.”

The idea gained further momentum after family friend Shelagh Boyd, who works as a waitress at the Shark Club, joined the cause. “Shelagh told me she knows stars who regularly came into the Shark Club and so she started recruiting... Everyone pitched in and all of a sudden we had over 40 celebrities on board, such as actor Gregory Harrison, Boston Bruins’ Milan Lucic and the Canucks’ Brendan Morrison.”

Celebs for Kids was born.
Brad May says he didn’t hesitate to get involved. “I’m great friends with Karim and our families are close friends,” says May. “I got involved with the charity because of Jalisa and because of the Chandanis’ desire to help not only their daughter but all afflicted with various arthritis diseases. Karim is a beacon of light for all to follow! His leadership and his execution make him an unbelievable friend and leader.”
The sentiment is echoed by Thomas McClary, founding member of the band The Commodores. “When you meet people like Karim, who has given so much to others, how can you not want to do whatever you can to help Celebs for Kids make a difference?” says McClary. “I support his vision.”

NHL Hall of Fame goaltender Grant Fuhr hosted this year’s inaugural Celebs For Kids fundraisers, which took place in August at the Sutton Place Hotel and the River Rock Casino Resort.

For almost a year, Chandani’s days have been a whirlwind of meetings with potential sponsors and celebrities. Life is hectic, but Chandani is tireless in his efforts.

“Here’s the beauty of this: Celebs for Kids started for my daughter, but three weeks into it, I realized if I’m lucky, if I start today, my daughter’s kids will benefit from this research, too.”

He credits his wife, Shala, for keeping his spirits strong. “She constantly reminds me that I have a goal and a task and I must complete it,” he says. “She has put up with me not being around for seven or eight months while I was trying to launch the foundation and she never complained . . . she’s amazing. She’s also had to pick up the slack at work and at home.”

His life-altering journey began just after Jalisa turned eight and her parents noticed a bump on her face that wouldn’t go away. “We assumed it was a bug bite, but it grew and grew,” recalls Chandani. “My wife took her to a walk-in clinic.”

Doctors didn’t know what was wrong and ordered tests, but the family didn’t suspect anything serious. In the meantime, Chandani was invited to watch the Stanley Cup finals in L.A. “My friend Brad May, who had played for the Canucks and was now playing for the Anaheim Ducks, invited me down for the big playoff game,” says Chandani.

He was drinking from the Stanley Cup in the Ducks’ changing room when he heard that his daughter had been rushed to B.C. Children’s Hospital for further testing. “I couldn’t get a flight out (of Los Angeles), and not knowing what she had and not being able to do anything about it was killing me. I got there the next day, but doctors still didn’t know... The diagnosis of lupus didn’t come for a month or so after that initial hospital stay.”  
After Jalisa was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus, one of the most serious forms of the disease, the Chandanis made it their priority to learn everything they could about the condition.

“I was shocked to learn how many children and teens were affected by lupus,” he says, citing the statistic that 5,000 children in B.C. are living with lupus and arthritis. “I also learned that people from the South Asian community are three times more likely to get lupus or arthritis than a Caucasian.

“Often, we take our children and life for granted,” reflects Chandani. “A friend of mine, Dean Duke, really taught me that. At the end of the day, he became my biggest sponsor. He and his staff brought in more than $200,000 for the foundation . . . . So many angels have just came out of nowhere.”

Today, nine-year-old Jalisa is trying to be a regular kid again despite the effects of the disease and the side-effects of the medication she must take.

“She has put on roughly 30 pounds because of the steroids and medication to keep her lupus and arthritis under control,” says Chandani. “It’s tough on her, kids tease her, but my daughter is so strong and has a great attitude.”

Chandani sees his fundraising and other efforts in the fight against lupus as a lifetime commitment.
“I have to do it for all children. I can’t stop,” he says. “I need to do this.”

For information on how you can help children and teens suffering from lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, go to www.celebsforkids.ca. Donations to Celebs for Kids can be sent to the foundation’s office located at 3136 Duchess Avenue, North Vancouver, V7K 3B6.