“Everything I do is to honour and remember my son”.
Nick was just 17, a tall and vibrant 6’ 2”. He was healthy, happy, school wasn’t his thing but that didn’t matter – he had a great sense of humour, tons of friends, and a passion for standing up for the disadvantaged. Nick was not only well-read but also a talented musician with a zest for life.
It was after a gig where Nick had been thrown in a mosh-pit in the summer of 2012 when he asked his Dad to take him to the hospital, complaining of back pain. Mom didn’t think much of it until she came home to a quiet house. The house was never quiet. Her younger son foretold: “Something bad is going to happen and it’s going to last a long time”.
Tanja, Nick’s Mom, with goosebumps on her arms, called Nick. “Mom, you’re not going to like this. I have cancer”.
One of the first things Tanja did was to visit Childcan’s offices. “Childcan filled a huge hole. HUGE. Between gift cards for gas and a parking pass that lasted throughout Nick’s treatment, I will always be grateful to Childcan.”
Nick had been diagnosed with testicular cancer. Although it had metastasized throughout his abdomen, Nick was still given a 96% cure rate. “The doctors told us testicular cancer is one of those rare cancers that can still be cured even after metastasis”. Nonetheless, the treatment was brutal. Nick lost 25lbs in the first week of chemo. On the first round of tests, the markers came down, but the tumour had not shrunk. This led to another round of high-dose chemo and stem cell transplant. Eventually, surgery was necessary. Nick, who was by this time 18-years-old, signed the waiver. 11 hours later, the surgeon brought good news, they had got it all.
To celebrate, they went snowboarding and had their Make-A-Wish trip. But then the markers went back up. 5 more years of chemo, surgery, and radiation followed, during which time Nick would live life, party hard, and make time to visit pediatric cancer patients, playing music while he had his own port in.
In January 2018, the cancer returned to his lungs, this time with a terminal diagnosis. More chemo shrunk the golf ball sized tumours in his chest. Nick went from needing a cane to walking freely. “The doctors told us that he was a miracle”.
With a sigh of relief, Nick’s Mom & Dad went to Hawaii. It was there that they had a call from Nick’s girlfriend. Nick had experienced a seizure. The cancer had spread again, this time to his brain. They rushed home to find Nick in the ICU in an induced coma. One day, Nick woke up, tore out his IV tubes and walked out to plan his engagement party. “It was an amazing day. He was so handsome”.
Nick started at college, training to become a Funeral Director, but it wasn’t long before the call came that the doctors had decided it was time to stop the chemo. Nick said: “There’s only one thing left to do, get married”. Nick was in his wheelchair as he said his vows. Not long after, he entered palliative care. Nick’s last words before he lost consciousness were typically selfless. He asked his new wife, “What can I do for you?”. He died on September 29, 2018, in his mom’s arms.
“Nick was a remarkable human. Nick taught me so many lessons in life. I tell everyone, especially those aged 15-30, to check testicles for lumps and bumps. I’ve fundraised, written a book, fed the homeless, and I hope to do more to serve young adults going through cancer treatment. Nick was fortunate to receive help as a pediatric cancer patient from wonderful organizations like Childcan. However, once Nick turned 18, he graduated out of pediatric cancer care, and pediatric cancer supports. As a small but mighty organization, Childcan doesn’t have the capacity, or the funds, to help this demographic. This huge gap in the system needs to be rectified and I’m trying to find a way to serve young adults going through cancer treatment. I do it all in Nick’s name trying to fill the void. If only I could, I would take back my son in a heartbeat.”
Thank you Tanja, for sharing Nick’s story. The number of handprints on the wall at Childcan has increased since the day you visited as a family. Nick’s handprint remains on the wall at Childcan’s offices.
