A pair of fundraisers are being held in Irvine, Alta. on Saturday to help give financial support to Joseph Hordos, a local man with Multiple Sclerosis. (Submitted Photo)

By Jesse Gill

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Saturday will be a busy evening for the community of Irvine, Alta., in support of a local man who has lived with a debilitating illness since September 2017.

Joseph Hordos was given a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and is undergoing treatments.

The 43-year-old is wheelchair dependant, requiring accessible travel to and from appointments with trips to Calgary that costs $1,000 and Medicine Hat that costs $140.

To support these expenses, an evening of boxing fights is being hosted at the Irvine Sports Complex along with a steak dinner fundraiser at the Irvine Hotel.

Hordos’ long term girlfriend Jennifer Cooper said they are hoping to purchase a wheelchair accessible van.

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“So that we can get him to appointments that are very, very expensive [currently],” Cooper said.

“There’s not a lot of places that offer transportation for people in wheelchairs that can’t transfer. It’s very expensive just to get him to a simple doctor’s appointment. So that is the goal for the fundraiser.”

READ: Irvine rallies behind one of their own following medical issues

Cooper said Hordos started having symptoms of numbness in his feet and hands in 2017.

“He had a fall in 2018 that put him the hospital, shattered his elbow. After that he was no longer able to walk without assistance,” Cooper said.

“He is no longer able to, transfer even unassisted.”

Cooper said they are hoping to get approved for funding for the electric wheelchair Hordos currently is using.

“That has made a huge difference for him being able to get out of the house,” Cooper said.

“Somebody did donate a wheelchair ramp for our house a few years back. Before that, he was not able to get out at all because we couldn’t even transfer him. He would have had to been carried inside and out of, out of the house,” she added.

“To get out of Irvine, he would definitely need the van, but the electric wheelchair is definitely helping getting him around in the summer time. If there’s snow, there’s not much he can do. He’s housebound.”

Jaelynn Dawley, Jennifer Cooper and Louis Hashem sat down this week to discuss the fundraiser for Joseph Hordos. (Ross Lavigne/CHAT News)

Cooper said the positive attitude of Hordos with everything he’s gone through is an inspiration to her.

“I don’t understand how he does it,” Cooper said.

“He’s a very happy person. He’s very high spirited. I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

Cooper said Hordos will be at the boxing fights, and is going to stay as long as he’s physically able to, so he can thank everyone for their support.

Twenty two boxing matches are scheduled as part of the fundraiser. (Submitted Photo)

There are 22 fights on the schedule for the boxing card with a number of local boxers, including two who competed at nationals this year Nate Vossler, and Asher Softic, a national silver medalist.

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Also fighting out of the Medicine Hat Boxing Club will be Jacob Walne, Tavin Booker, Gavin Russell, Kade Steiger, and Allan Kircsak.

The steak dinner starts at 4 p.m. and the fights start at 7 p.m., with a silent auction during the fights.

Jaelynn Dawley, who is Cooper’s daughter said Trevor Stewardson, a former Olympic boxer along with his wife Missy, and Lee Vossler had come to them with the idea about a month ago.

“We broke down in tears. We were so excited and can’t thank them enough for doing all the footwork for this and then they asked us to help out,” Dawley said.

“We live in an amazing community. Our community is so there for people here, and they always show up any time they’re asked, they always show up and they’re just amazing and we couldn’t thank them enough.”

A steak dinner fundraiser take place Saturday in Irvine. (Submitted Photo)

Louis Hashem who co-owns the Irvine Hotel with his wife Margaret is happy to be able to host the steak night at his business to support Hordos.

“I’ve known Joe for the last 16 or more years, through the fire department and, through here,” Hashem said.

“Joe is a great person, pillar of the community here and he showed the there’s kindness through different ways of helping different people in the community and he’s a great guy,” he added.

“That’s why we’re all rallying around him and supporting him in this cause.”