August 10, 2006 – Bernardita (Berny) Pizarro, an elite woman downhiller from Chile, broke her femur while practising for the Crankworx Air Downhill at Whistler a couple of weeks ago. Complications arose during subsequent surgery and some bone marrow entered her bloodstream, ultimately cutting off some oxygen supply to her brain.

She has been in a medically induced coma at St. Paul’s hospital in Vancouver ever since. She has made some recent progress in being able to largely breathe on her own. Berny, and her family that has flown in to be with her, could certainly use all of our best wishes and prayers.

Cards can be directed to St. Paul’s Hospital, patient Berny Pizarro, 1081A Burrard St., Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6. Emails can be sent to the contacts in her website – www.bernypizarro.cl