A mission born from loss
By Olivia Piché
Cindy Letourneau drives a red vehicle. She’s tried to switch colours, but she just can’t — it represents her unwavering support for STARS and the Very Important Patient (VIP) program. But Cindy’s story is a little bit different from other STARS VIP stories as she wasn’t the patient — it was her son, Chris.
In September 2013, Cindy received a call that Chris was in a motorcycle accident on his way to work. STARS cared for Chris during an eight minute flight from Sherwood Park to Edmonton’s University of Alberta Hospital, but sadly, he passed away in the emergency room from cardiac arrest.
“Because STARS was there, my son did not pass away on the asphalt or on the way to the hospital, but in the care of staff,” said Cindy. “For a mother, the only thing you want is to have your
children taken care of, and they took care of him.”
DECADES OF IMPACT
At Chris’s funeral, Cindy asked family and friends to consider donating to STARS in lieu of flowers. This marked the beginning of more than a decade of remarkable fundraising. Cindy’s original goal was $22,000 since Chris was 22 years old at the time of the accident. She, along with Chris’s friends and girlfriend, established an annual memorial golf tournament, CL88, to raise the funds. Cindy hit her goal quickly, but she was nowhere near done with her fundraising efforts.
So, in 2014, she set a new goal: raise $250,000 to have a logo commemorating Chris put on the side of a STARS helicopter. Last summer marked the golf tournament’s 12th year, getting the funds up to $181,000. In 2025, STARS nominated Cindy for the National Philanthropy Day Community Catalyst Award, and she won. Two angel donors saw her nomination video and anonymously donated $35,000 each, pushing her past her goal.
“She was blown away. She expected it would take another six to eight years to reach the $250K,” said Vanessa Mickel, lead, external events, Alberta. “She raises this money because she’s grateful to STARS, but we are incredibly grateful to her for being such a STARS advocate.”
REMEMBERING HER SON
Cindy’s unwavering support and Chris’s memory will be recognized on STARS’ aircraft. The CL88 logo will be unveiled in Edmonton on July 6 this year, which would have been Chris’s 35th birthday. An additional celebration will be held in Calgary to bring more of Chris and Cindy’s community together.
Looking forward, Cindy plans to continue fundraising to help others who need STARS and share her gratitude for the way they were there for Chris.
