Kellen's Story
"Hi, my name is Kellen Surette and I just turned 7 years old. I celebrated it with an amazing birthday party at the soccer dome at Cape Breton University with all my friends and family. Almost everyone I invited came except a few friends who had a cold; my mother said that I couldn't be around any friends who were sick because my blood is sick. I can't wait to spend my birthday money at Toys R US in Halifax and also in Toronto. I had to say goodbye to my teacher and my classmates last week because I am going on a big trip, but next year we will all be together again and, Mommy and Daddy said, next year playing hockey won't make me so tired."
My name is
Annette MacGillivray. I am the first cousin of Kellen's mother, Andrea.
Actually, Andrea is more like a niece to me. Since I live in Montreal, I needed
to find a way to help from a distance. The Paypal account that you will see on
the fundraiser page belongs to my husband, Dr. Martin Goldstein. Together we
hope to be able to make a difference in helping Kellen's family get through the
very difficult ordeal they face in the months ahead.
I invite you to
walk a path with me in the life of a loving seven year old boy named Kellen
Surette...........
Kellen is the first-born son of Andrea Martin Surette and
Sheldon Surette and they live in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia with Kellen's eight
month old brother Jonah. Andrea has worked very hard to establish her own home
business as an esthetician. Sheldon has recently received his Education degree
and presently works as a substitute teacher. In addition, to help make ends
meet, Sheldon works at a golf club during the summer months. They, like all
parents, love their children and try each and every day to parent with love and
respect and protect their children from the dangers in their world. Never did
they imagine that the danger would be as big as the danger they now face.
It has been 2
weeks since Sheldon and his family are living with devastating news about
Kellen's health. Kellen has been diagnosed with AML, (Acute Myelogenous
Leukemia); the life that this family once knew has been turned upside down and
will never be the same. This blonde haired, blue eyed seven year old boy is
facing the biggest challenge of his short life. He is presently on his second trip
to a Halifax hospital (IWK) and will soon be leaving for more specialized
treatment at Toronto Sick Kids Hospital. In the short time since the AML
diagnosis, he has had multiple blood transfusions, bone marrow testing and
platelet transfusions.
For an adult
this would be a lot to handle. Kellen handled all this with incredible
strength. He is willing to do whatever needs to be done to get him back
in his skates and on the ice with his buddies. His parents can still hear him
saying, "I can't go to hockey today, hockey just wears me out". This
was the comment that signaled his family that something was very wrong and that
he needed medical attention. The rest is a very bad dream that has confronted
Kellen and his whole family.
Parents Andrea
and Sheldon are ready to do whatever it takes to bring their beloved Kellen
back to good health, to bring him home and find again the simple joys of
watching him play with his Thomas Trains, Lego Star Wars, play hockey, laugh
and just be the carefree little kid he was - the things that parents take for
granted.
When Kellen
learned that he was having a little brother he was over the moon with
happiness. His unselfish nature eased him into getting ready for a new baby. He
even announced that he would be the best big brother ever (and he is). Little
brother Jonah, at only 8 months old, will also have quite a journey in ahead of
him as he assumes the role of entertainment director for Kellen on those "blue"
days to come during Kellen's treatment and recovery. The bond these two boys
have developed in such a short time is remarkable - both boys need each other.
In the privacy
of their own thoughts, as Andrea and Sheldon lay beside their sons, they are
very aware that their family needs a miracle. They need to keep up their hope
that the Oncology team at Toronto Sick Kids Hospital will be able to be
successful in treating their precious son. They need to pray for a match for
the bone marrow transplant Kellen needs will be found in time. It will be a
combination of prayers, medical expertise, family support and their belief that
God will stay by their side until Kellen can get well and come home. They
cannot lose hope "“ it's not an option.
There are
grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who cannot imagine their lives
without this sweetheart of a child. With the medical advances over the past
decade, there is optimism and hope that this monster of a disease can and will
be beaten.
The near future
for Kellen's family is in turmoil "“ the physical, emotional and financial
strains they face are formidable. Andrea will need to close her business and
Sheldon will now not be able to work. The immediate family needs to move to
Toronto for the time of waiting for a donor match followed by the prolonged
treatments and recovery phase. They will be separated from their extended
family for an indefinite period of time. Jonah, at eight months old, will
probably not be able to visit Kellen at the hospital. The grandparents who are
a very large part of Kellen's life will want to come to Toronto for visits.
Kellen will be devastated to be separated from his grandparents. Andrea has
never lived away from the area where she grew up. If anyone could pick a time
to be away from her extended family supports, it definitely would not be under
these circumstances. Andrea and Sheldon have a tough road ahead - parenting
their two children under the worst circumstances that one can imagine. Most of
us cannot even imagine this and won't allow our thoughts to go there. Andrea
and Sheldon don't have that choice.
My hope and
dream is that everyone who reads this will want to contribute something.
Every little bit will help them. You may come back to this site at any
time to offer a gift of love to Kellen's family.
The only way
that Andrea and Sheldon can keep their focus on caring for their children and
have peace of mind is with help. I think it would be difficult to imagine any
family having to worry about a car payment or a mortgage payment while their
child is having a bone marrow transplant for leukemia. This is a cruel
situation. The reality is that it can happen to anyone. Anyone of us, no matter
what our financial situation, would not be able stay afloat if both household
incomes were abruptly taken for a period of six months up to a year. This is
the reality the Surette household faces at the present time. I will move heaven
and earth to raise as much money as I can to ensure that Kellen has a home to
come back to.
Hopefully we can
all thank God that our families are healthy and share our love with Kellen's
family. Please send this to anyone that you know would like to have the
opportunity to make a difference in someone's life. Andrea and Sheldon are
numbed by recent events. They are understandably overwhelmed with having so
much to deal with. My sincere hope is that friends, relatives and perhaps even
some strangers will be motivated step up and lend support.
The site is a
registered website where you can feel comfortable to donate here. The money will
be sent to a Pay Pal account for transfer to Kellen's family. The money can be
dispersed on a daily basis to the family. Through PayPal, you can pay by credit
card or debit. If you prefer to send a cheque, it will go directly to Kellen's
family at an address soon to be determined.