The Abbotsford Centre received a new centre-hung video board, ribbon boards and a new 50/50 display this fall – but perhaps the arena’s most heartwarming new addition was unveiled on Tuesday (Jan. 30).
Kidney Alley, the brainchild of Skully White of Lullys Food Experience, has been erected just beside the gourmet-hotdog stand on the walls between sections 107 and 108 inside the AC.
The wall will showcase local people in need of a kidney transplant and share the success stories of those who have been matched.
Exciting day at @AbbyCentre. The wall outside Lullys hot dog stand is now going to be renamed “Kidney Alley”.
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) January 30, 2024
Local kidney donators will be highlighted on the wall outside section 107 and 108.
Skully White has been a longtime advocate for kidney awareness pic.twitter.com/QfqCBgSk5q
White began his kidney awareness journey back in 2019 when he learned that a loyal Lullys customer was in desperate need of a kidney. When White realized he was a match for that man he donated his kidney to him in December 2020.
In the years that followed, White has launched campaigns to match up other donors and recipients. He has also promised free hotdogs for life for anyone who donates a kidney. White was the subject of a documentary film funded by Telus last year.
RELATED: Abbotsford hotdog-stand owner starts campaign to find kidney donors and recipients
White said working with kidney donors and recipients has allowed him to meet some amazing people and he’s thrilled to be able to bring more awareness through Kidney Alley.
“It’s been an absolute mind-blowing experience, this is just too much savage - pure savage,” he said, to a gathering of friends and family outside his stand at the AC. “We’re going to call this Kidney Alley and this is where we want to focus in and let people know about the people that we’re trying to find kidneys for locally.”
Tuesday also marked the addition of three Abbotsford locals to Kidney Alley. White hung posters for Parvinder Sidhu, Frank Pongracz and Ariel, all three of whom need someone to step up to save their lives. Kidney Alley also displays several local success stories, including Miranda and Enrique Perez – both cases in which White helped find a match.
RELATED: Abbotsford’s ‘Hotdog King’ subject of newly released documentary
“These people wouldn’t be kicking around without those donations,” he said. “The best part with Miranda was she told me she had a checkup with her lung doctors because she had two lung transplants before the kidney and they said her lungs have now never been better. I asked Enrique how he’s feeling and he said he hasn’t felt this good in a decade.”
White urged his friends to share the posters of those up in the AC to help find a match. He said Kidney Alley was a way to bring more awareness to kidney donation. He said the Abbotsford Canucks were very open to its creation.
“They let me use the jumbotron to make announcements in the past and they were just like ‘go for it’,” he said. “There wasn’t even a moment of hesitation from them, they just said do it.”
He added that while he focuses mostly on matching those in the eastern Fraser Valley, he has connections to kidney organizations all throughout western Canada. Anyone interested in donating can contact him.
Tuesday was also special because the AC was also the site for White’s appearance on the Bush Wreck Rescue television show. White received a special vehicle for all of his work related to kidney awareness from the show and it was officially unveiled in front of his friends and family outside his hotdog stand.
RELATED: Abbotsford hotdog vendor helps search to find kidney for Maple Ridge man, 22
Bush Wreck Rescue is a docuseries that follows motorheads in B.C. and Alberta obsessed with turning old, abandoned trucks, specialty vehicles, and heavy equipment into custom gems.
It’s expected that the show will air later this year.
Kidney Alley will be available for the public to view starting with this Friday’s (Feb. 2) Abbotsford Canucks game.