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Nine-year-old Michael Meehan, who was this year named one of five Canadian Down Syndrome “heroes,” has just launched his second battle with leukemia.
But the Stittsville boy will not face the hard campaign of chemotherapy alone thanks to a parade of sports celebrities, including five Ottawa Redblacks, four sports broadcasters, and three Toronto Maples Leafs, who pledged to fight with Michael in an inspirational video released this week.
“We’re thinking of you and praying for you, son,” Leafs Coach Mike Babcock tells Michael, a dedicated Leafs fan.
“Keep battling,” says Leafs goalie James Reimer.
“I’m fighting with you,” says former Ottawa 67s coach Brian Kilrea, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“I’m fighting with you,” says Ottawa-born TSN host James Duthie.
The video was prepared by Ottawa Police Det. Jim Ramsay who wanted to do something special to show his support for Michael, the son of a close friend and police colleague, Det. Joe Meehan.
Ramsay, a former OHL player, used his contacts in the hockey world and drew upon those of others in the police service to connect with sports celebrities. The video required about 60 hours to shoot and edit.
“I wanted to show the Meehan family how much support they had,” said Ramsay, who owns a local aerial photography company, Skytography, that produced the video.
Michael Meehan was born with Down Syndrome and a rare brain malformation, Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum. He was first diagnosed with leukemia in January 2013 after complaining about pain in his side. Michael had just started ski lessons so his parents at first thought it was simply some kind of related soreness. But when the pain persisted, they took him to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, where he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Down syndrome is considered a risk factor for developing the disease, and it can also complicate its treatment.
Despite that treatment, which demanded two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy, Michael managed to help raise more than $45,000 for CHEO, and represent both the hospital and the Canadian Cancer Society as a community ambassador. That work earned him national recognition in March as one of five “heroes” selected by the Canadian Down Syndrome Society.
Earlier this year, with his cancer officially in remission, Michael had his implanted medicine port removed and rang the end-of-treatment bell at CHEO.
But during a routine blood test in mid-October, doctors discovered Michael’s leukemia had returned. He immediately began a six-week course of treatment, then was allowed home for a few days. He’s now at the beginning of another course of treatment that will keep him away from home for another month.
“He’ll be on chemo for the next two-and-a-half years,” said Michael’s father, Joe Meehan. “He was six-years-old last time and he’s nine this time, so he’s just that much more aware: It’s a little bit tougher on all of us this time. We know exactly what we have in front of us.”
His son, Meehan said, is his hero. “I know everyone thinks their kid is amazing, but he’s amazing. He’s bright and he’s funny, and despite all of the challenges he’s had to face, he’s not worn down.”
The video that Ramsay made for the Meehan family was launched at a fundraiser held earlier this week. Meehan said watching it is an emotional experience. “The video is unreal: it makes me cry every time I watch it.”
查看原文...
But the Stittsville boy will not face the hard campaign of chemotherapy alone thanks to a parade of sports celebrities, including five Ottawa Redblacks, four sports broadcasters, and three Toronto Maples Leafs, who pledged to fight with Michael in an inspirational video released this week.
“We’re thinking of you and praying for you, son,” Leafs Coach Mike Babcock tells Michael, a dedicated Leafs fan.
“Keep battling,” says Leafs goalie James Reimer.
“I’m fighting with you,” says former Ottawa 67s coach Brian Kilrea, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“I’m fighting with you,” says Ottawa-born TSN host James Duthie.
The video was prepared by Ottawa Police Det. Jim Ramsay who wanted to do something special to show his support for Michael, the son of a close friend and police colleague, Det. Joe Meehan.
Ramsay, a former OHL player, used his contacts in the hockey world and drew upon those of others in the police service to connect with sports celebrities. The video required about 60 hours to shoot and edit.
“I wanted to show the Meehan family how much support they had,” said Ramsay, who owns a local aerial photography company, Skytography, that produced the video.
Michael Meehan was born with Down Syndrome and a rare brain malformation, Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum. He was first diagnosed with leukemia in January 2013 after complaining about pain in his side. Michael had just started ski lessons so his parents at first thought it was simply some kind of related soreness. But when the pain persisted, they took him to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, where he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Down syndrome is considered a risk factor for developing the disease, and it can also complicate its treatment.
Despite that treatment, which demanded two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy, Michael managed to help raise more than $45,000 for CHEO, and represent both the hospital and the Canadian Cancer Society as a community ambassador. That work earned him national recognition in March as one of five “heroes” selected by the Canadian Down Syndrome Society.
Earlier this year, with his cancer officially in remission, Michael had his implanted medicine port removed and rang the end-of-treatment bell at CHEO.
But during a routine blood test in mid-October, doctors discovered Michael’s leukemia had returned. He immediately began a six-week course of treatment, then was allowed home for a few days. He’s now at the beginning of another course of treatment that will keep him away from home for another month.
“He’ll be on chemo for the next two-and-a-half years,” said Michael’s father, Joe Meehan. “He was six-years-old last time and he’s nine this time, so he’s just that much more aware: It’s a little bit tougher on all of us this time. We know exactly what we have in front of us.”
His son, Meehan said, is his hero. “I know everyone thinks their kid is amazing, but he’s amazing. He’s bright and he’s funny, and despite all of the challenges he’s had to face, he’s not worn down.”
The video that Ramsay made for the Meehan family was launched at a fundraiser held earlier this week. Meehan said watching it is an emotional experience. “The video is unreal: it makes me cry every time I watch it.”

查看原文...