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Marc Normandeau at home (top). Classmates set up equipment in class so that Marc can watch the class.
Doing battle with a smile
St. Lazare teen is not cowering in his fight with leukemia. He's raising money for the Montreal Children's Hospital and keeping up with classmates with a little high-tech help
J.D. Gravenor
The Gazette
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Marc Normandeau at home (top). Classmates set up equipment in class so that Marc can watch the class.
Flying south for a quick holiday is supposed to be fun and
relaxing. But for one St. Lazare teenager, spring break 2008 marked
the beginning of his fight for survival.
"We were in Florida," recalls 13-year-old Marc Normandeau. "My mom
saw that I had no colour in me. I was just grey."
So Marc and his family rushed to a hospital in Orlando, where they
learned that the cancer he first battled into submission from the
age of four had returned. It's called acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Six months later, the Grade 8 student at Westwood High School's
Junior Campus in St. Lazare is not only fighting the disease, he's
also spearheading a fundraising effort in support of the cancer ward
of the Montreal Children's Hospital.
And, thanks to the support of a generous community, he's raised
almost $20,000.
"The hospital is amazing," Marc said, during a recent break in his
chemotherapy sessions. "It's the same place I went when I was four.
They treat me great."
The fundraising campaign started almost by accident. In April, the
members of Marc's peewee hockey team decided to shave their heads in
solidarity with their all-star goaltender, just before his hair fell
out because of cancer treatments. That resulted in some local
publicity. Several teams at the midget and bantam levels also
pledged their support.
Next, a group of St. Lazare mothers started a campaign to help Marc
secure the best possible care. They ordered hundreds of silicone
bracelets, inscribed with the words "Mark's All Star Team" and
started circulating them around various schools, raising thousands
of dollars.
"They're still going around," said Marc. "Brad Stuart from the
Detroit Red Wings bought some to support me, as did the kids at the
Children's Hospital, Westwood's Junior and Senior campuses, John
Rennie High School and Collège Bourget. Kids are wearing them
today."
It was the success of the bracelet promotion that convinced Marc to
set up an official fund with the Montreal Children's Hospital, in
order to purchase some new equipment for Room 8D, the
oncology-hematology ward at the downtown hospital.
Then the fund really started taking off. For example:
$730 was donated after a Canadiens jersey sale at Kuper Academy.
$3,000 was raised by a girl who threw herself a birthday party,
asking people to donate to Marc's cause instead of buying her
presents.
$5,300 was added by the St. Lazare Women's Softball League, who
held a fundraising event in September. (Marc even got to pitch a few
innings in a game between the all-star women's team and his peewee
baseball crew.)
$8,000 was donated by Vocera Communications, the company that
employs Marc's father.
Marc's former piano teacher raised $630 with a fundraising concert
in Hudson.
So far, Marc's fund has raised $18,922 for the Montreal Children's
Foundation. The hospital is confident he can hit his $20,000 target
by Christmas.
"Marc is a very dynamic young man," said Danielle Gabrielle Roy,
director of communications at the hospital. "He should be achieving
his objectives."
Marc has also received important moral support, too. The Lac St.
Louis Lions of the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League invited him to
drop the puck at their home opener in September. Then, they asked
him to suit up for one of their practices, stopping the best shots
of boys three and four years older than him.
"They gave him some pretty tough shots," said his mother, Cindy
Normandeau. "And he was sick as a dog the previous day. I was proud
of him."
So was the team.
"Marc is a tremendous example of courage," said Danny Dupont, head
coach of the Lions. "He inspires me and our players with the courage
he shows every day. He's a great kid. He's smart, he communicates
well, he's mature, courageous, polite, and always brings a smile to
your face when you see him."
That spirit is one of the reasons for which Marc has been selected
for another honour to take place early next year. As part of the
Champions Across Canada program, he has been chosen to represent
Quebec and the Montreal Children's Hospital in Ottawa and Orlando,
Florida. Sponsored by Wal-Mart, the Champions program recognizes
children with illnesses, and rewards the courage of a child in each
Canadian province.
Unfortunately, given his current condition and the daily struggle
he is undergoing to beat his cancer, Marc can't attend hockey
practice or go to school. That worries this honour-roll student, who
is part of his school's enriched program. After all, he doesn't want
to repeat Grade 8. Thankfully, he won't have to - if he manages to
pass his core courses.
That's where the power of technology comes in. Thanks to a
high-tech device that is just beginning to appear in schools, Marc
will be able to attend classes from his bed in hospital or at home.
One such "telepresence" device, which is manufactured by the
Tandberg corporation, is installed by Marc's bedside and the other
one is at school.
"So Marc will be able to follow all his classes from home and from
hospital," said Marc's father, Pierre Normandeau. "The kids get to
see him, and he gets to see them. So he's not losing touch with
buddies and friends, which is important at that age."
"There were some technical bugs in the beginning, but I feel it's
working pretty well now," said Hans Bulow, principal of Westwood
High School's Junior Campus. "The only thing that gets in Marc's way
now is his health."
Marc is using the machine to follow the classroom lectures for
math, science, English and French. Before his classes start,
students in the class greet Marc face to face, thanks to the
device's video camera and screen. But the device is usually directed
towards the teacher and the blackboard, so Marc can listen and take
notes wherever he is.
"We just got a report card last week," Pierre Normandeau said. "He
made honour roll again - without even stepping into the school."
The teleconferencing machine helps a lot, Marc says.
"It lifts my spirits," he said. "It's like I'm in the classroom ...
but not quite."
Marc is currently undergoing an aggressive round of chemotherapy
that will continue throughout the winter months. But this keen
athlete is especially eager to get back on his skates.
"I have a really strong interest in hockey," said Marc, who is a
veteran goaltender of the Trois Lacs league. "Hopefully, I can get
back to that when I finish my five-month phase."