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Teen’s battle with leukemia brings people together
Fund grows as boy inspires with positive attitude
par Kristina EdsonVoir tous les articles de Kristina Edson
Article mis en ligne le 24 octobre 2008 à 13:25
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Community members and hospital staff came together for the Marc Normandeau Foundation. Donna Kudzman (left,) Michele Lefebvre, MCH Foundation special events coordinator, parent Lyne Paquette, Marc Normandeau, his mom Cindy Normandeau and St. Lazare Women’s Softball captain Martha Wickware.
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Teen’s battle with leukemia brings people together
Fund grows as boy inspires with positive attitude
Not many people would turn a battle with cancer into an opportunity to help others, but one 13 year-old St. Lazare boy is doing just that with a lot of help from a community that has embraced him.
When Marc Normandeau found out last spring that the leukemia he beat when he was four years old was back, he resolved to fight it for the second time in nine years.
Other than his health, Marc’s concern centred on maintaining his honour roll grade-point average at Westwood Jr. High School, and not losing his edge as an AA hockey goalie and an elite baseball player.
Aggressive chemotherapy treatments for acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL, a type of blood cancer, caused the muscular athlete to lose his hair and quite a bit of body weight.
Yet that didn’t stop him from practicing with his hockey team whenever he was up to it.
And it didn’t stop him recently from strapping on goalie pads and settling between the pipes during a team practice for the Midget AAA Lac St. Louis Lions – healthy boys some of whom were three and four years older than he.
Marc went to the practice straight from a chemo treatment at the hospital.
“He was nauseous and didn’t know if he would make it,” said Cindy Normandeau, Marc’s mom.
It’s not clear if the Lions players even knew Marc was sick, as they appeared to hold nothing back during their ice time.
“I think the other goalies were aware (of his cancer) but the shots the players were hitting him with were pretty hard and he was making lots of saves… he didn’t look lost out there,” Cindy recalled.
The experience boosted Marc’s morale and his faith in he was not losing his hockey abilities.
“He said, ‘Give me two weeks (after treatments) and I’ll be back. ”
Other than his health, Marc’s concern centred on maintaining his honour roll grade-point average at Westwood Jr. High School, and not losing his edge as an AA hockey goalie and an elite baseball player.
Aggressive chemotherapy treatments for acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL, a type of blood cancer, caused the muscular athlete to lose his hair and quite a bit of body weight.
Yet that didn’t stop him from practicing with his hockey team whenever he was up to it.
And it didn’t stop him recently from strapping on goalie pads and settling between the pipes during a team practice for the Midget AAA Lac St. Louis Lions – healthy boys some of whom were three and four years older than he.
Marc went to the practice straight from a chemo treatment at the hospital.
“He was nauseous and didn’t know if he would make it,” said Cindy Normandeau, Marc’s mom.
It’s not clear if the Lions players even knew Marc was sick, as they appeared to hold nothing back during their ice time.
“I think the other goalies were aware (of his cancer) but the shots the players were hitting him with were pretty hard and he was making lots of saves… he didn’t look lost out there,” Cindy recalled.
The experience boosted Marc’s morale and his faith in he was not losing his hockey abilities.
“He said, ‘Give me two weeks (after treatments) and I’ll be back. ”
Helping others through adversity
Throughout the years, Marc, his parents, Cindy and Pierre, and his sister Michelle have helped raise money for cancer research.
Pretty normal considering their personal brush with the disease.
It was after a group of St. Lazare mothers wanted to sell silicone bracelets bearing the words: Marc’s All Star Team last spring however, that the family thought about starting a foundation in his name.
“Marc wanted to do things to help the Children’s hospital and he wanted to decide how the money would be spent,” said Cindy.
The bracelet effort brought in $1,100 and the Marc Normandeau Fund through the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundations was established.
Other’s helped raise money as well.
A student at Cooper Academy sold Habs t-shirts in Marc’s name and raised $730.
A West Island girl who only knew about Marc through a relative had asked guests to donate to his foundation in lieu of sweet 16 gifts.
She collected $3,000 in Marc’s name.
Throughout the years, Marc, his parents, Cindy and Pierre, and his sister Michelle have helped raise money for cancer research.
Pretty normal considering their personal brush with the disease.
It was after a group of St. Lazare mothers wanted to sell silicone bracelets bearing the words: Marc’s All Star Team last spring however, that the family thought about starting a foundation in his name.
“Marc wanted to do things to help the Children’s hospital and he wanted to decide how the money would be spent,” said Cindy.
The bracelet effort brought in $1,100 and the Marc Normandeau Fund through the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundations was established.
Other’s helped raise money as well.
A student at Cooper Academy sold Habs t-shirts in Marc’s name and raised $730.
A West Island girl who only knew about Marc through a relative had asked guests to donate to his foundation in lieu of sweet 16 gifts.
She collected $3,000 in Marc’s name.
Lady players go to bat for Marc
And last month the St. Lazare Women’s Softball League took up the cause during its annual fundraiser.
Each year the ladies league selects a local effort to support.
They made headlines last year when the Slow Down for Patricia campaign was launched. The initiative raised close to $16,000 for the Patricia Jolicoeur Foundation that aids the young St. Lazare woman who was hit and permanently wounded by a speeding driver.
“We’re moms and aunts and grandmothers and we want to give back to our community by helping someone from here,” said Martha Wickware, a team captain.
The day-long softball family event that brought in $5,314 included a game between Marc’s All Stars, or his former baseball team-mates and coaches, and players from the ladies softball league.
His mom played with the women’s team, who lost to the boys 15-1.
And last month the St. Lazare Women’s Softball League took up the cause during its annual fundraiser.
Each year the ladies league selects a local effort to support.
They made headlines last year when the Slow Down for Patricia campaign was launched. The initiative raised close to $16,000 for the Patricia Jolicoeur Foundation that aids the young St. Lazare woman who was hit and permanently wounded by a speeding driver.
“We’re moms and aunts and grandmothers and we want to give back to our community by helping someone from here,” said Martha Wickware, a team captain.
The day-long softball family event that brought in $5,314 included a game between Marc’s All Stars, or his former baseball team-mates and coaches, and players from the ladies softball league.
His mom played with the women’s team, who lost to the boys 15-1.
Effort going strong
To date the Marc Normandeau Fund has amassed just under $19,000.
Cindy said that Marc will talk with the head of the Children’s Hospital Oncology Department in order to determine how best to spend the money, which continues to come in.
Marc’s former piano teacher will host a children’s recital at St. James Church in Hudson on November 16, and a few local hockey teams have said they want to raise money for the fund.
Yet above the chance to help a local kid and a good cause, many who pitch in for the fund are struck by Marc’s continued good humour and determination in the face of adversity, and by his unerring positive attitude.
“I told him that he was an inspiration,” said Wickware.
Cindy believes that battling the life threatening disease beginning when he was 4 years-old forever affected Marc.
“This is who he is,” she said of her son.
“It really matures a child to go through this. He has incredible maturity and incredible focus when he sets his mind to something.”
And, she adds, Marc has set his mind to getting better.
“I know he’s going to come through this with flying colours.”
The Jacques Harvey Children’s Benefit Concert to aid the Marc Normandeau Fund and Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation will take place on Sunday November 16, at St. James Church in Hudson. Two concerts will be held 2-3 p.m. and 5-6 p.m.
To date the Marc Normandeau Fund has amassed just under $19,000.
Cindy said that Marc will talk with the head of the Children’s Hospital Oncology Department in order to determine how best to spend the money, which continues to come in.
Marc’s former piano teacher will host a children’s recital at St. James Church in Hudson on November 16, and a few local hockey teams have said they want to raise money for the fund.
Yet above the chance to help a local kid and a good cause, many who pitch in for the fund are struck by Marc’s continued good humour and determination in the face of adversity, and by his unerring positive attitude.
“I told him that he was an inspiration,” said Wickware.
Cindy believes that battling the life threatening disease beginning when he was 4 years-old forever affected Marc.
“This is who he is,” she said of her son.
“It really matures a child to go through this. He has incredible maturity and incredible focus when he sets his mind to something.”
And, she adds, Marc has set his mind to getting better.
“I know he’s going to come through this with flying colours.”
The Jacques Harvey Children’s Benefit Concert to aid the Marc Normandeau Fund and Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation will take place on Sunday November 16, at St. James Church in Hudson. Two concerts will be held 2-3 p.m. and 5-6 p.m.
Marc Normandeau (first row, centre) his team mates and the women players during the St. Lazare Women’s Softball Tournament.
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Lorraine Intini
Commentaire mis en ligne le 25 octobre 2008This article, forwarded to me by Cindy, brought tears to my eyes ...
I am Marc's maternal grandmother and would like to say how proud we are of him. He is a champion!