School celebrates cancer-free diagnosis

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This article was published 10/04/2024 (724 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

What started out as a show of moral support for a Grade 6 student going through chemotherapy turned into a fundraising day with teachers willing to be targets in a pie-throwing contest, and the vice-principal volunteering to be duct-taped to a wall.

Eleven-year-old Jesse Olson has been declared cancer-free, so all students and staff from kindergarten to Grade 8 at École Harrison decided to throw him a party while raising money to help his parents pay some bills.

Jesse’s mom Amy said she, her husband and Jesse’s older brother and sister are “so grateful for the Harrison school family.”

“Jesse was diagnosed with neuroblastoma last April,” said Amy. “He had a mass removed years earlier, so we had been doing followups every three months since then. And everything was good, good, good, until it wasn’t.”

Jesse had seven rounds of chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants over the summer and fall, “and multiple, multiple blood transfusions,” she said.

“And then a few months ago, he had another bone marrow biopsy, and the doctor told us there were zero cancer cells in his bone marrow.”

Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that starts in early nerve cells called neuroblasts. Normally, the cells grow into working nerve cells, but in neuroblastoma, they grow uncontrollably and become cancer cells that form a solid tumor.

Wednesday afternoon, the school’s gymnasium was packed with about 345 students and dozens of staff members. Along one wall were long pieces of duct tape, and on the stage, chairs were set up covered in garbage bags.

As Jesse took it all in, he said he was “feeling good, happy and excited,” and added his mom told him about the fundraiser a few days ago.

“They’re having a dance party and then giving some teachers a pie in the face and they’re taping our vice-principal to the wall for a dollar,” Jesse said.

Eric, Jesse’s dad, asked him what the reason was for the celebration.

Jesse said, “For me, because I’m cancer free.”

When Jesse was going through chemotherapy and lost his hair last year, his dad shaved his head in support — as did the principal of École Harrison, Eva Eberts.

Eberts said when people come together and embrace a family going through a difficult time, it’s a “great way to build community spirit.”

“It’s amazing to see, and it’s really important to model that for our students too — that, you know what? Sometimes life throws us a curveball, and we just really need to come together and support each other through anything that life might throw our way,” Eberts said.

Jesse’s Grade 6 teacher, Brady Skinner, described him as a hard-working, positive and kind kid who is loved by all staff. Fellow instructor Jody Carkener agreed.

Carkener is one of the staff members at École Harrison who helped organize Wednesday’s fundraiser.

“Every student that wanted to participate got a piece of duct tape for $1, and then we put our vice-principal on a crate, taped him to the wall, and when he was all taped up, we removed the crate to see if he sticks,” she said.

“Also, students were encouraged to raise money from $5 up and put their name in a draw. The top fundraisers won the opportunity to throw a pie at the dozen teachers who volunteered to be targets,” said Carkener.

Jesse’s dad, Eric, kept repeating the word “wonderful” as he looked at the crowd, talked about the school, the people, and the community.

“Ultimately, having the support and help got us through a lot of the tough times. They’re still tough and they’re going to continue to be for a while, but we’ll get through. That’s just what you do. You have to keep your head up and be strong,” Eric said.

By day’s end, Carkener said they had raised $3,000 and were still expecting a few more e-transfer donations.

Eric said they’re not a family that likes to ask for help, but added, someone gave him advice once — that when people want to help, he was told to “let them.”

“What we’ve learned from this, it adds up for expenses. So, it’s not just one thing, it’s a multitude of things. You could say it’s the gas, or it’s the parking, or the food, the reduction in income. There are a thousand things that add up, and it just keeps chipping away at you,” Eric said.

“So, the fact that staff and friends, family and everybody took it upon themselves to organize the fundraiser, it’s unbelievable.”

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