Cobourg Youth Puts Aside His Own Battle to Help Others

Pete Fisher
2 years ago
• Categories: Community, Editor Choice, Local

Eight-year-old Sullivan Wakimoto put aside his challenges of dealing with cancer to help others on Sunday, July 16, 2022.

Sullivan and his seven-year-old sister Rowen set up a lemonade stand in front of the family home on Cornell Crescent from approximately noon till 2 p.m. to raise money for a playground structure at Terry Fox School where he attends.

“Terry Fox had one, but it hasn’t been replaced yet,” Sullivan said waiting for his next customer.

Because it’s the summer, Sullivan said he had all the free time to have the fundraising lemonade stand with his sister, “so I really don’t have to worry about anything.”

Sullivan’s father said could barely hold back the tears when speaking of his son who has many upcoming challenges.

“Sullivan is a very giving person. He’s all about his friends and his community and wants to look after everyone at school.”

Since being diagnosed with leukaemia in March he hadn’t been back to school, but still wanted to raise money for the playground at Terry Fox School for his friends.

Jon said it will be a long journey starting this week and going on for three years.

“But hopefully in September he’ll be able to go back to school.”

Sullivan will be having four chemo-treatments a week for a few weeks and then it will hopefully get into a “easier” routine in the Fall where treatments will only be once a week.

Jon said the family has been inundated with information, so they are told a month at a time what will be happening with treatments.

A special surprise for Sullivan was when a Cobourg fire truck came around the corner with emergency lights and siren activated and came to a stop in front of the lemonade stand asking for a drink.

Captain Chris Post, firefighters Jeff Briggs and Jack Dillon spent some time with Sullivan and his sister who were thrilled to see the truck pull up.

“He loved the truck coming up. He made his day with his first customer and having the fire truck pull up with just over the top,” said his dad.

The firefighters gave helmets and gifts to the children and also gave them a tour of the fire truck showing them all the equipment that it carries for emergencies.

Total money raised for the day was $211.85.