An outgoing and determined little girl from Grafton who loved to play hockey before she was diagnosed with the cancer that took her life may soon have a Cobourg arena named after her, thanks in part to a plea from famous Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.
The Deadpool star appeared virtually in a delegation to the Town of Cobourg’s community services, protection and economic development standing committee on Wednesday (April 9), when he proposed renaming the Pond Arena in the Cobourg Community Centre after Grace Bowen.
Reynolds, who had first met Grace more than 10 years ago, agreed to appear before the committee at the request of Grace’s parents Greg and Andrea, who attended the committee meeting in person along with Grace’s sister Mackenzie.
“She changed my life,” Reynolds told the committee. “I was really taken by Grace. Her name kind of said it all.”
In 2014, when Grace was just eight years old, she was already passionate about hockey and embraced everything about it, from practices and tournaments to her teammates. She was a member of the West Northumberland Girls Hockey Association and played at the Cobourg Community Centre and rinks around the community.
That all changed when a sore knee that was bothering Grace turned out to be something much more serious. On April 14, 2014 — two days before her ninth birthday — she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, the same rare and aggressive bone cancer that took the life of Terry Fox.
Over the next 11 months, Grace underwent surgeries — including rotationplasty surgery that removed part of her leg — and chemotherapy at SickKids in Toronto, all while facing the ordeal with a positive and determined attitude and demonstrating compassion for those around her.
When a mutual friend requested an autograph for Grace from Canadian hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser, Wickenheiser met Grace and soon developed a close relationship with her and her family. She later invited Grace to be her guest at the Canada’s Walk Of Fame ceremonies on October 19, 2014 in Toronto, where Wickenheiser was one of the inductees.
Reynolds was also one of the inductees and was sitting in the audience when Wickenheiser introduced Grace on stage. Wickenheiser asked Grace who she was most excited about meeting. “Ryan Reynolds” was her answer, and Reynolds immediately ran on stage to give Grace a hug and a kiss. He later met with Grace and her family backstage.
Less than five months later, on March 13, 2015, Grace passed away from her illness.
Reynolds attributes meeting Grace with changing the way he approached his philanthropic work. Previously, he had kept out of the public eye and didn’t use the platform he had to advocate for the causes he supported.
“Grace just changed that,” Reynolds told the committee. “From the moment I met her that night, I said as long as I live, if I had a free moment for any kid who’s carrying a bag of rocks around like that, or their parents, I will make time for them.”
VIDEO: Grace Bowen meeting Ryan Reynolds at Canada’s Walk of Fame
As a result of meeting Grace, Reynolds began his tradition of making funny fundraising campaign videos in support of SickKids, often featuring a signature ugly Christmas sweater.
Since then, he has helped raise over $3 million for SickKids through a combination of personal donations and his promotional efforts to encourage others to donate.
In December 2016, when Reynolds received the Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainer of the Year award at the 22nd annual Critics Choice Awards, he dedicated the award to Grace and to Connor McGrath, another child who died of cancer, along with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and SickKids Foundation of Toronto.
After sharing his story of meeting Grace and the impact she had on him, Reynolds proposed that Grace’s memory be honoured by renaming the arena.
“It would be pretty beautiful if we could rename the arena the Grace Bowen Arena or the Grace Bowen Memorial Arena,” he said.
After Reynolds’ comments, Grace’s father Greg also addressed the committee, describing how his daughter faced her illness.
VIDEO: Ryan Reynolds delegation to Town of Cobourg Standing Committee
“Her concern for others was unmatched for a nine-year-old little girl,” Greg said, noting that Grace was always showing compassion for the other children and their families at SickKids
“She loved everything she did, and she did everything she did with a passion. We often can only describe her in our household as relentless.”
He also said that one of the fears of parents who have lost a child is that their name will be forgotten.
The arena-renaming request comes one week after the Town of Cobourg joined forces with the West Northumberland Girls Hockey Association and the Bowen family to celebrate the 150th anniversary of The Hospital for Sick Children.
One of the SickKids 150th birthday balloon sculptures is on display in the grand hall of the Cobourg Community Centre until Sunday (April 13).
Following the delegation, the committee voted unanimously to move the item forward to the regular council meeting scheduled for April 30, where all of Cobourg council will give their final vote.
Reynolds said that, if the renaming request is approved, he would like to come to Cobourg to take part in any renaming ceremony.
