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Canada’s own Angela Marie, a passionate country music star, grew up in the Ottawa suburb of Orleans before making her way to Nashville to pursue her dream. Angela’s music discusses hope, belief, and is meant to encourage others to fulfill dreams of their own.
But the most heartwarming songs in her collection, especially the song ‘Give Him Love’ off her new EP, stem from the people she knows back in Orleans. Angela is close friends with fellow Orleans native Erik Gudbranson, who currently plays for the Florida Panthers in the NHL, and who’s younger brother, Dennis battled acute myeloid leukaemia when he was eight years old.
Dennis underwent many treatments and surgeries to no avail, until his physicians tried a bone marrow transplant to rebuild the immune system. Eight years after the transplant, Dennis enthusiastically is living life again, something his older brother Erik is proud to see.
Erik shared his brother’s story with Angela while they were both home in Orleans, which immediately inspired the singer to devote a song to Dennis, and the thousands of other young children who go through such ordeals.
“There’s always bad news out there but the Gudbransons are such a positive family and I wanted to send a hopeful message.”
Since releasing ‘Give Him Love’, Angela teamed up with local and national charities to spread the message about bone marrow and cord blood transplants. She is now partnered with the Canadian Blood Services to promote their One Match program with the goal of funding a national cord blood bank. The Gudbranson family is also heavily involved with One Match, who Angela credits for getting her involved with the program.
“When she asked me to sing at some of their events, I immediately agreed without any hesitation.”
Canadian Blood Services may even recruit Angela to perform at a Cord Blood Awareness Month event, many of which are ongoing throughout the month of July.