'Healing through music': Waterloo DJ raises thousands for Make-A-Wish Canada with online set

Waterloo DJ raises thousands for Make A Wish From CTV Kitchener's Nicole Lampa: A Waterloo DJ has raised more than $10,000 for the Make A Wish Foundation.

KITCHENER — A Waterloo DJ raised more than $10,000 for Make-A-Wish Canada during a 24-hour virtual set.

"It went better than I could have ever, imagined," said Chad Yurkin, better known at DJ Whitegold.

Yurkin is a father and has a personal tie to the foundation.

"My oldest son was diagnosed with a couple of critical illnesses several years ago and we were a beneficiary of one of their wishes," he said.

That wish was a family vacation.

"It does have a very significant impact towards a child and, more importantly, their family's healing as they are battling these illnesses," Yurkin said.

"It's life-changing for a whole family," said Tiffany MacDonald with Make-A-Wish Canada. "Because he knows the impact, he wanted to give that back to another family."

The average cost of one wish is $10,000. Yurkin raised $15,000 with his online performance, which was on live-streamed on Twitch at the end of April. More than 60 DJs across the globe invited their listeners to join and donate.

"It really has been like medicine for a lot of the people all around the world," said Pav Varnavidis, or DJ Volatile.

MacDonald said the performance allowed Yurkin to reach hundreds of thousands of people.

"Healing through music," Yurkin said. "It was inspiring."