SHEGUIANDAH—The playground at Batman’s Cottages and Campground in Sheguiandah was a hive of activity when The Expositor caught up with Sophie, Claire, Flo and Veda, four members of a group of young social entrepreneurs who aimed their fundraising sights on raising money for a young girl, Aliyah Kelly of Sarnia (with deep Tehkummah roots) who is battling cancer. (Unfortunately, Milania, Everly, Valerie and Emmy were not available for the interview, but they also played a part in raising the money.)
Thanks to the owners of Batman’s and an anonymous donor, the money raised by the youths was first doubled and then doubled again.
“We have been raising money for Sick Kids Hospital for years now,” said Veda Doring, the young “mastermind” of the operation. “This year we decided to focus on Aliyah and her family.”
As to how the youths, spending weekends during the summer camping at Batman’s as they do, learned about Aliyah and her family’s plight Veda explains, “my mom, my mom saw it on Facebook and told us about her.”
Their latest fundraising efforts are the most successful to date. “The most we ever raised before was, like, $300 total,” said Claire. “This time it was just under $5,000. The girls raised most of their money through henna tattoos. Sophie, the youngest of the troupe, proudly shows off one of the tattoos on her arm.
Aliyah’s great grandfather, Jim Dunn of Sheguiandah, was effusive in his praise of the young women who have taken his great granddaughter’s cause. He explained that his great granddaughter was stricken by cancer last year and is currently undergoing her last round of chemotherapy treatments.
Oddly, it was what normally might not have been thought of as a serious tumble on July 17 turned into one of a parent’s worst nightmares with a silver lining. While exiting a trampoline the four-year-old slipped and fell. It was the result of that fall that first revealed Aliyah’s condition.
“She has a type of kidney cancer that the doctors tell us does not have any symptoms,” said Mr. Dunn. “When she fell, all of about maybe three feet, she landed on her side and the tumour burst. It was tragic when she fell but at least they discovered the cancer.”
Aliyah was diagnosed with a stage 3 nephroblastoma Wilms tumour. Her mother Tyra and her were flown to Sick Kids in Toronto where more tests were run and a treatment plan put together.
“She is doing really well,” said Mr. Dunn of his great granddaughter’s progress, but there remains a long road yet ahead. “Doctors are saying it’s going to be a year,” he said. In the meantime, Aliyah has been transferred from Toronto’s Sick Kids to Victoria Hospital in London, closer to where her parents live. Victoria has a great reputation as a pediatric hospital.
“She was able to go home for the weekend,” said Mr. Dunn. “Just getting to go home for a couple of days is a pretty big deal.”
Mr. Dunn noted that folks watching this year’s Little Current Lions Club Haweater Weekend Parade will be able to cheer on the girls for their efforts. Every year, Mr. Dunn decorates his vintage panel truck to take part in the parade. This year there will be a banner celebrating the youths’ success and the girls will be riding on the truck.
A GoFundMe page has raised $28,810 towards the family’s expenses in travelling to doctors’ appointments and ensuring that Aliyah’s family could visit and support her.
“A lot of people don’t like to use the GoFundMe because they take a percentage,” said Mr. Dunn. Those wishing to help young Aliyah and her family during these challenging times can reach out to Mr. Dunn at 705-562-6645 or they can visit the GoFundMe page set up for Aliyah’s expenses.
