Canadian music producer David Foster officially announced plans today to host his annual Miracle Gala and Concert in Winnipeg this fall at the MTS Centre.

The proceeds go towards The David Foster Foundation, which covers non-medical expenses for families who have children in need of organ transplants.

Three-year-old Nazdana Jan – from Portage la Prairie – is one of those children. When she was a baby, she was diagnosed with a urea cycle disorder, a genetic disease that causes ammonia to build up in the body. Because of this, she needed a liver transplant, which meant she had to travel to hospitals in three different provinces in order to get the proper treatment.

In 2014 she had a successful transplant.  

The province of Manitoba covers the travel, food and hotel costs of the patient and one parent, but if a sibling or another parent want to be there as well, that cost falls to the family. That’s where The David Foster Foundation stepped in and allowed both of Nazdana’s parents as well as her older sister to be there to support her.

“It was a hard time and you need someone to share that challenging time with, you can’t face it alone,” said Nazdana’s father, Jouhar Ali. “I was support for my wife and my wife supported me and we both supported our five-year-old.”

Nazdana is home now with her family here in Winnipeg and is recovering from a follow up procedure in January. They still go back for follow up appointments to maintain her health, but Ali says his daughter is happy and healthy.

“When you have your family together, you will fight as a family together,” said Ali. “We did it and she’s doing great.”

 

Nazdana Jan at the CMHR (Submitted Photo)

 

As for the Gala and Concert, Foster isn’t sure who will be performing, but he’s had high profile acts such as Michael Buble, Steven Tyler, Stevie Wonder and Josh Groban at these events in the past.

Foster said they chose Winnipeg this year because they’ve never held this event in the city and they want to spread the word about the importance of organ donation. In Manitoba, only two per cent of eligible people are organ donors, 12 per cent lower than the national average.

“I heard about the two per cent in the car yesterday in the ride form the airport and it was shocking,” said Foster. “I think that it’s just about awareness. I think if anybody thought it through I think they’d go ‘yeah I want to be an organ donor.’”

“It’s not even so much signing your card, even though that’s important to do,” he continued. “Even without your card signed, you can have a serious talk with your family and let them know your intentions, then your family – with or without an organ donor approval – could make that decision for you.”

Foster has worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers and Whitney Houston, just to name a few.

The Concert and Gala takes place on Sept. 24, 2016. There is no word on ticket prices or when they will go on sale.

To learn more about Nazdana’s story, click here.