The folks at North Point Brewing starting selling cans and pouring pints of a special edition beer last month to raise funds and awareness for a newborn baby from the North Shore who was suffering from a rare form of cancer that would have required specialized treatment in the U.S.
The North Point initiative arrived in tandem with a GoFundMe that was set up to help pay for the expensive surgery.
Almost $300,000 was raised through the GoFundme page, and North Point Brewing hoped to sell thousands of cans of its Alejo IPA in support of the initiative.
But tragically, five-week-old Alejandro (Alejo) Angel died Feb. 25 in his parents’ arms, according to a statement from the family.
“Over the past few weeks our community came together to support one of our youngest members - little Alejo in his battle against cancer,” stated North Point Brewing in an Instagram post today (March 19). “Although Alejo is no longer with us, his memory lives on in our hearts. Thanks to your incredible support, we were able to raise $10,000 which, at the family’s request, will go directly to [Canuck Place] Children’s Hospice in Alejo’s name.”
The funds will help provide medical respite care, pain and symptom management, art, music and recreation therapy, and end-of-life care for children and families in need, according to North Point.
“On behalf of the entire North Point Brewing team and the Quinn/Angel families, thank you again for your love and support, we are forever grateful for this community,” the post stated.
The brewery sold around 4,000 cans of its special IPA, according to Liam Jeffries, North Point co-owner and longtime friend of the Angel family.
"We kept selling out, it was insane support from the community which is amazing as always," Jeffries told the North Shore News in a phone interview. "It's a very tragic situation and everyone just wanted to come support, and even if they didn't drink beer they'd still walk out with a flat to give away to people. They wanted to raise money for Alejo."
Most of the funds raised through the family's now-closed GoFundMe page are also being donated to infant cancer treatment programs and research, as well as to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Children’s Hospice.
