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Walking, running for a dream

Hunting Hills High School student Landon Haigh was in Grade 10 when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The most common type of bone cancer starts in the cells that make up growing bone.
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Carmen Reinhardt

Hunting Hills High School student Landon Haigh was in Grade 10 when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The most common type of bone cancer starts in the cells that make up growing bone.

Haigh was just 16 when the cancer was found in his right leg and he had to undergo 40 sessions of chemotherapy.

Throughout his treatment Haigh, who enjoys studying math and science, continued as an honours student at Hunting Hills, returning to class full time in the second semester of Grade 11.

Besides heading back to school, the 17-year-old also had another thing to look forward to last spring when he, his parents and his older brother headed to Florida for the trip of a lifetime, as part of Haigh’s wish, which was granted by the Red Deer Chapter of the Children’s Wish Foundation.

“It was a great break after going to chemo,” said Haigh, who is now feeling healthy. His wish was to see one of the last Discovery shuttles take off from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

He was watching with his family as the shuttle — mission STS 131 — blasted off into space and then his family got to see the sights at Disney World.

“You get to do something you otherwise wouldn’t,” Haigh said.

Haigh was wearing his NASA sweatshirt on Saturday, a reminder of the trip, during the Wishmaker Walk for Wishes event at the Golden Circle on Saturday morning.

Haigh was at the front of the walk, serving as the parade marshal, as around people walked a short route near the Golden Circle Seniors Resource Centre in Red Deer on Saturday.

In all the 163 people took part in the event and raised $12,456 for the Children’s Wish Foundation, which will be used to grant wishes for other children in Red Deer. People painted yellow stars on their faces, carried yellow and blue balloons and wore blue and pink boas.

It’s the third year for the walk and master of ceremonies Jennifer Côté said the event gets a little bigger each year.

Côté said all of the money raised goes to grant wishes for local children considered to be terminally ill who are chosen by the foundation. Some children find out their cancer has gone into remission after the wish has been granted.

The wishes often cost around $10,000 to grant and can include everything from a trip to Disneyland to a new computer or sound system.

“It’s just an opportunity for them to experience the fullness of what life has to give,” Côté said.

Côté said the Children’s Wish Foundation is always looking for volunteers. For more information on volunteering and on the Children’s Wish Foundation go to: www.childrenswish.ca or call Abbylee Vollmin at 403-314-3389.

sobrien@www.reddeeradvocate.com