Windsor-Essex has come together for a young boy battling brain cancer yet again — this time raising more than $10,000 at a weekend fundraiser.
The Royal Canadian Legion on Marentette Ave. had a line of people waiting to buy a ticket in support of nine-year-old Huntre Allard Saturday night. Allard was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer last year, and after months in hospital he returned home, even returning to school for a couple hours each day.
Allard was all smiles Saturday, making his way through the hall to say hello to everyone who came, but still needs a wheel chair for a good part of his day.
Doors just opened but the Royal Canadian Legion on Marentette Ave. is filling up fast in support of nine-year-old Hunter Allard. He has stage four brain cancer and friends and family are raising money to convert a van for his wheelchair. @AM800News #cklw pic.twitter.com/APQGxaLEWU
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) March 23, 2019
Allard's cousin Allison Robertson put together the fundraiser to help his mother Lisa Aylesworth retrofit the family van for his chair.
"I feel like sometimes you don't how great a community is until we come together for something like this when it happens," she says. "I am so amazed, the donations that we've received have been enormous, we have about 54 donations from different companies, bakeries have donated lots of deserts and people have come together and made deserts that I didn't even know about."
She tells AM800 News making the van wheelchair accessible will make life so much easier for Huntre.
"It is amazing, it is. They've gotten a lot of support and Lisa is very thankful," added Roberts.
This past August, Huntre underwent three major surgeries on his brain, all within days of each other, and continues chemotherapy.
Roberts says retrofitting the van for Huntre's wheelchair will cost $17,000.
She says a Go Fund Me page is still active for anyone who couldn't make it to the event.