Pitching in: ‘Rodeo Queen’ helps raise money for BC Children’s Hospital

The organizer: Charlee Thomas

The pitch: Helping raise money for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation

When Charlee Thomas was seven years old, she started developing calcinosis, a buildup of calcium deposits in her skin and muscles.

Her family doctor wasn’t too concerned at first, but it wasn’t long before Ms. Thomas’s condition worsened to the point where she could no longer ride horses, which was one of her passions. Just before her 11th birthday, she and her family headed to Vancouver from their home in Keremeos, B.C., south of Penticton, for further testing at the BC Children’s Hospital.

The results showed that she had juvenile dermatomyositis, or JDM, an incurable autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks blood vessels, causing skin rashes and progressive muscle weakness. “That was a really big shock,” Ms. Thomas recalled from her home. “Receiving a diagnosis like that is never easy.”

The hospital developed a detailed treatment plan that included physiotherapy and corticosteroids – anti-inflammatory medication that also helped reset her immune system. She returns every three months for checkups when possible. The hospital arranged Zoom calls during winter when travelling was difficult, and doctors found clinics near her home that could also provide treatment. “They’re really accommodating for any lifestyle changes and making sure that my condition doesn’t define my life,” she said.

Ms. Thomas, now 17, has made remarkable progress. She’s back riding horses and even teaching children. She also participates in rodeo, and earlier this year she was crowned Miss Keremeos Rodeo Queen 2026. “My job is to go to different communities, different rodeos and parades, and serve as an ambassador for my town and my rodeo, but also for the sport of rodeo in general,” she said.

Ms. Thomas is so grateful for the care and treatment she received at the hospital that she has become a spokesperson for the hospital’s 2026 Dream Lottery, which raises more than $8-million annually. “They’ve been so incredible at helping me get back into this sport that I’m so passionate about,” she said.

With the hospital’s help, Ms. Thomas has learned to live with JDM. “But it’s never been something that I’ve let keep me down, and I’ve always tried to look on the bright side of things,” she added.