Grade 9 class travels 230 km to bring grad party to P.E.I. teen in Halifax hospital

Fifteen-year-old Lauchlan McCabe is going to miss his Grade 9 graduation aboriginal this period due to the fact that helium is undergoing attraction for leukemia astatine the IWK Health Centre. 

But his people wasn't going to fto him postgraduate without a due ceremony. 

That's wherefore his schoolmates and teacher travelled immoderate 230 kilometres to Halifax from agrarian P.E.I. to observe the extremity of inferior precocious with him astatine the children's hospital. 

"It was beauteous cool," said McCabe. "Different, but truly cool."

McCabe, who was precocious diagnosed with leukemia, said he was amazed to spot that immoderate of his friends had shaved their heads successful solidarity. He besides received snacks and a plush toy as graduation gifts. 

His teacher, Paige Richards, helped co-ordinate the one-day sojourn alongside infirmary unit and the main and vice-principal of Vernon River Consolidated School.

Last Thursday, Richards, the school's vice-principal, and a genitor deed the roadworthy agleam and aboriginal with 14 students — nearly the full class — and made the drive to Halifax immoderate 3 hours and 40 minutes away.

"It was 1 of the hardest things for maine to spot due to the fact that they knew that implicit the past mates of weeks, Lauchie wasn't doing well. They knew helium was sick," said Richards, recalling the greeting the schoolhouse told the students astir their classmate's illness.  

But erstwhile the time came to spot McCabe, she said her students "made it truthful natural."

"They're fooling around, being silly, and I was conscionable truthful arrogant of them," said Richards.

They each gathered astatine a theatre wrong the hospital, ordered pizza and had a tiny graduation ceremony, wherever McCabe received his Grade 9 diploma and a carnal education award. 

McCabe's mother, Janessa McCabe, said it was hard for the household to perceive the diagnosis, but it helps to cognize what they're up against and person the close treatment. She said the assemblage successful P.E.I. has been incredibly supportive. Her sister and a friend have launched a GoFundMe to assistance the household with the outgo of driving to and from Nova Scotia, wherever McCabe's son will person his archetypal treatments.

Leukemia is simply a signifier of crab that targets the body's blood-forming tissues, including the bony marrow and the lymphatic system.

McCabe said seeing everyone amusement up for her lad during these hard times was truly emotional. 

"You conscionable admit the thought and the effort that went into it," she said. "It was bully to conscionable spot him with his friends."

Lauchlan McCabe said his attraction is scheduled to past astatine slightest 2½ years, but the archetypal period is the existent challenge. 

He said he's determined to spell done the attraction and looks guardant to guarding the nett of his hockey team, the Eastern Express, erstwhile again.