A fundraising campaign has been set up for a 17-year-old girl who remains in critical condition following a head-on collision north of Buckhorn on Friday (June 6).
According to the GoFundMe campaign, Makenna Sinden was only a week away from celebrating her prom, two weeks away from her graduation, and three weeks away from her 18th birthday, when the car she was driving collided head-on with a minivan on County Road 36 between Edwina Drive and County Road 507 in Trent Lakes.
Both Makenna and the driver of the minivan were transported to Peterborough Regional Health Centre with serious injuries, with Makenna then airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital.
“She has already undergone multiple surgeries, will need more, and is currently on life support in critical condition,” according to GoFundMe organizers Amber Gregory and Jessica Brandt, who are friends with Makenna’s mother Katie.
“This summer was supposed to be the best of her life before moving away for college,” Gregory and Brandt write, noting that Makenna has two younger siblings who “adore her and depend on their big sister so much.”
“This unimaginable tragedy has turned their lives upside down. Katie and her family are now facing an overwhelming emotional and financial crisis. Both parents are staying in Toronto to be by Makenna’s side, unable to work during this critical time. For those who know Katie, you’ll understand the extra burden she carries — she had just recently returned to work after caring for her son Ryker, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Unfortunately her caregiver benefits are now exhausted.”
Gregory and Brandt launched the GoFundMe to assist the Siden family with medical, therapy, travel, accommodation, and other costs associated with Makenna’s recovery.
As of the date of this story, the campaign had raised over $11,500.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the people who stopped to help and first responders of the Trent Lakes area, as well as the dedicated staff at Peterborough Regional Health Centre and Sunnybrook Hospital, who continue to care for Makenna,” Gregory and Brandt write.
“We are especially grateful to the unknown civilians who selflessly smashed through a window to reach her and supported her neck until first responders arrived — their quick thinking and bravery will never be forgotten.”
