13 yo Teen supports uncle by raising funds for cancer
Published: June 29, 2005
Thirteen-year-old Katie Kearney recently raised over $2,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society and last Friday had her hair cut to donate to Locks of Love.
Katie, who just graduated from Grade 8 at Holy Rosary Catholic School, is the niece of City Councillor Michael Coughlin who is battling cancer.
Holy Rosary Principal Margie Royle was at The Salon on Front Street along with members of Katie’s family and friends for the haircut. “I just think it’s fantastic to see someone that giving,” said Royle. “It’s quite a gift.”
Katie raised some of the money through fund raising at the school including “hat days” where students donated a dollar to be allowed to wear their hats.
Coughlin says the Army and Navy Veterans Association also made a considerable donation and family friend Melissa Yorke, a cancer survivor herself, also collected about $1,000 worth of pledges for Katie.
Coughlin told The Community Press he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 1998 and underwent treatment and two surgeries. Last August he thought he had pneumonia and found out that the cancer had spread to his right lung where it is sealed. He also has an inoperable tumor in his throat which may be able to be treated other ways and some bone cancer in his leg.
Through trips to Kingston and Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Coughlin says he always tries to be positive. “The prognosis is not as great as last time but my chances are certainly 50/50 at least,” he said.
Coughlin says that support from his wife and daughter and from his family has been very important. He also credited his parish and the school he formerly taught at with lending a great deal of support. Katie, who hadn’t had her hair cut since she was eight or nine was nervous before the cut but said it would be nice to have something new. Her fund-raising efforts as well as the donation of hair were her way of supporting her Uncle Mike.
Locks of Love is an organization that produces prosthetic hair pieces for children suffering from disease which causes them to lose their hair
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