Help Dale Conquer a Brain Tumor

Hello everyone. My name is James Campbell, and I've set up this page on behalf of the many friends of Dale Lewington's family.

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of meeting Dale (the young lad sporting the shades in the title photo), he's a warm, bright, kind and compassionate 11 year old boy from London Ontario who has recently learned that he has a battle with an inoperable, metastatic brain tumor ahead of him. Dale is in the care of excellent doctors, but even they haven't before seen a condition quite like the one he's facing.

What the immediate future will look like is not clear, but it will certainly involve an in-patient stay in Toronto while Dale undergoes chemotherapy, specialized rehab, and other medical interventions to try to help him win this fight. He'll have to continue much of the rest of his grade six school year from there. His tumor is unfortunately inoperable, so a quick surgical fix will regrettably not be an option in his case. That said, Dale has already undergone a brain biopsy and surgery to help remove a dangerous build up of fluid on his brain.

Some of you may be lucky enough to know Dale, others know Trevor and/or Michelle. If you're like me, you're feeling powerless, but desperate to help. There may be many ways that we can help Dale's family through this most difficult of times, but one way which is relatively easy is to help with the financial burden that this fight will put on them.

A complicated tumor, like other drawn out medical battles, takes a toll not just on the body of its victim and the emotions of those who love that person, but also requires lots of time and money to fight. Expenses start to add up for things like medications, travel to and from hospitals and medical facilities, parking, food, mobility aids (should they be needed), and even child care. Dale's older brother Graeme still needs care and attention while Trevor and Michelle are busy helping Dale win this fight.

Of course, all of this perversely comes at a time of lost income. Trevor and Michelle are both self-employed, and Trevor will be stepping away from his work with Enter The Haggis to stay by Dale's side through this. Michelle's ability to work will also experience many interruptions.

One of the greatest strengths of our species is our ability to band together as a community and help one another. The internet has made it possible for us to find communities of a different kind than those of our ancestors to which we can belong. Dale, Graeme, Michelle and Trevor all belong to a variety of communities, which have a connection to you, reading this now. If you're willing, we'd love to have your support in helping Dale and his family fight this most unwelcome of battles.

Based on projections of the first year's financial burden, we've set a goal here of $50,000 (CAD). If we can reach that goal, amazing. If we can exceed it, then all the better. In the event that more money comes in than is needed for immediate costs, any excess will be put in Dale's registered disability savings plan, and if much more comes in, the money will be donated to brain tumor research or to The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids), the Toronto hospital where Dale has been receiving top notch care.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and if you're in a position to help and willing to do so, please know you have my heartfelt thanks, and the thanks of all of Dale's family and friends.