Students and staff at Ecole secondaire publique Nipissing Ouest are helping one of their own who is fighting a rare form of liver cancer.
Grade 11 student Brandon Gauthier is being treated in Ottawa for liver cancer and the treatment includes chemotherapy.
Teacher Joanne Bazinet says the school is putting on a spaghetti dinner at the school cafeteria on December 18th.
All the money raised goes to the 16-year-old to help with travelling to Ottawa, hotel stays and some of the medication which isn’t covered.
Bazinet has taught Gauthier in the past and he’s part of her class next semester.
Bazinet says Gauthier is a very kind and open-hearted student who has helped on many school projects.
The liver cancer was diagnosed after the teen thought he had pulled a muscle while shovelling snow.
When the pain didn’t subside, further testing revealed liver cancer.
Bazinet says Gauthier went through surgery on November 29th which was later followed up with the chemo treatment.
Gauthier, who Bazinet says wants to be an engineer, is not expected back at Nipissing Ouest until about the end of February.
However, she emphasizes he won’t be losing his school year because of not being able to attend classes.
“Our principal got Brandon some tutors and educators in Ottawa who teach him there and when he’s back here he’s also got a tutor,” she said.
“So he’ll be well surrounded by his learning and won’t fall behind.”
Bazinet says to the best of her knowledge in her 19 years of teaching she has never seen an instance where steps of this nature were taken to ensure a student doesn’t lose a school year.
Bazinet says Nipissing Ouest is a small school and when someone is affected similar to the news that Gauthier got, it “affects everyone.”
She points out that even Near North District School Board teachers at Northern Secondary School are helping out.
The fundraiser is named Hope for Brandon and the spaghetti dinner is open to everyone and includes a Caesar salad, tea, coffee and juice as well as live music.
Prizes will also be awarded.
Tickets are available through Nipissing Ouest students and people interested in attending can also communicate through the school’s Facebook page.
The public can also buy tickets at the Stop and Shop or reserve tickets by calling the school at 753-2888.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and $5 for children up to six years of age.
The fundraiser runs from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.