It害羞草研究所檚 a nightmare no child should ever have to suffer, but support is pouring in for a Penticton boy battling cancer.

Until recently, seven-year-old Wills Hodgkinson was a happy, athletic and active child, participating in soccer, hockey and swimming. Now he害羞草研究所檚 in a hospital bed in Vancouver, preparing for an operation to remove a tumour attached to his kidney.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know if he understands the full thing in his head, but he害羞草研究所檚 scared and he害羞草研究所檚 resigned to the situation,害羞草研究所� said his dad Tim Hodgkinson. Tim, along with Wills害羞草研究所� mother Neely Brimer and two-year-old sister Scarlett, are staying in Vancouver to be at Wills害羞草研究所� side.

害羞草研究所淗e knows he害羞草研究所檚 got to have the surgery, and we害羞草研究所檝e got to move forward to make him better. He just wants to be home with his mates playing football (soccer). All our energies are supporting him.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 a big mass and it害羞草研究所檚 probably been in there since he was in the womb. Sitting there like a ticking time bomb.

Tim said that, according to doctors, the tumour has probably been growing since Wills was in the womb, but the symptoms came on quickly last month.

It started with a tummy ache and throwing up on a Saturday night.

害羞草研究所淚 took him off school on Monday, and on the Monday night he was crying out in pain,害羞草研究所� Tim said. Expecting just a childhood ailment, Hodgkinson took his son to the emergency ward at Penticton Regional Hospital.

害羞草研究所淎n hour went by, and then another, and we害羞草研究所檙e still there,害羞草研究所� said Hodgkinson. 害羞草研究所淭he doctor came back and said 害羞草研究所楲ook, I害羞草研究所檝e got to talk to you.害羞草研究所�

Wills has a Wilm害羞草研究所檚 tumour, a rare kidney cancer that primarily affects children. The usual treatment is to remove both the tumour and affected kidney, and the outlook for most children is good.

But when doctors at the , part of B.C. Children害羞草研究所檚 Hospital, took Wills into surgery they found problems.

害羞草研究所淲hen they got in there, they found the tumour had fused itself to his pancreas, his spleen and the top part of his colon,害羞草研究所� said Tim. 害羞草研究所淪o they sewed him back up again because it was too risky at that point.

Wills is going through six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments now, in hopes of shrinking the tumour enough that it peels itself away from the other organs.

When the medical team operates again, it害羞草研究所檚 going to be very traumatic for the little boy害羞草研究所檚 body.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 very frail at the moment. We are looking at is six weeks of chemo, which will crush his defences and then go in, take a kidney out, a tumour that the body thinks is another organ, because it害羞草研究所檚 been in there so long and it害羞草研究所檚 so big,害羞草研究所� Tim said. Wills might also lose his pancreas and spleen, even then.

The nightmare doesn害羞草研究所檛 end there. Doctors also discovered eight tumours on Wills害羞草研究所� lungs. Tim said they won害羞草研究所檛 be able to tell if those are treatable until the chemotherapy begins to take effect.

害羞草研究所淭here are so many big questions at the moment. It害羞草研究所檚 all just a blur, it害羞草研究所檚 so overwhelming,害羞草研究所� said Tim. 害羞草研究所淒espite it all, you have to pull through. Wills is the most important thing here.害羞草研究所�

Wills害羞草研究所� two-year-old sister Scarlett has proven to be a bright spot. Tim said their decision to keep the family together at Wills害羞草研究所� side was a good one. Scarlett is too young to understand what is going on, so she is having a good time running around with the nurses and enjoying the hospital playrooms.

害羞草研究所淓very morning she comes in to Wills and she was kissing his hand and asking 害羞草研究所榓re you happy today Wills?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Tim. 害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 two, she doesn害羞草研究所檛 understand the extent of it but she knows Wills is sick and she loves her brother very much.害羞草研究所�

Growing up with a British father, Wills is naturally a major football fan, and he害羞草研究所檚 been visited by members of the Vancouver Whitecaps, along with their mascot Spike. He害羞草研究所檚 also received a letter from Gary Cahill, captain of his favourite team, the Chelsea Football Club and also the current captain of the England team.

害羞草研究所淭he whole team sent him a card too, with all their signatures,害羞草研究所� said Tim, adding that Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit also sent Wills a video.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e completely overwhelmed by the generosity of people害羞草研究所檚 thoughts and messages. It害羞草研究所檚 truly humbling. Nobody ever wants to find themselves in this situation, but the support people are giving us is humbling,害羞草研究所� said Tim

Back at home in the Okanagan, community support is pouring in for the family via a fundraiser organized by Margie Hibbard and Tricia Hernes.

There are now over 800 people in a set up on Facebook, Hibbard said.

Since announcing the fundraiser, Hibbard said they害羞草研究所檝e learned there is another student at Wills害羞草研究所� school, Holy Cross Elementary, that has cancer.

害羞草研究所淲e are donating a portion of the bake sale to that student as well. Most of the bake sale is going to come from Holy Cross volunteers,害羞草研究所� said Hibbard.

Besides the bake sale, the fundraiser on March 11 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Adidas Soccerplex will include a silent auction, bake sale, glitter tattoos, bouncy castle, soccer skills competition, and crafts for the kids. It害羞草研究所檚 also a chance to send messages of love and encouragement to Wills, via a scrapbook, photos and videos provided by Moments Under Frame.

There is also a GoFundMe page set up at .

Hibbard said the outpouring of messages of support and items for the fundraiser has been amazing.

害羞草研究所淚 think people can really empathize with the stress, the fear, the loss of control that is going on there. It害羞草研究所檚 such a young child and he will have such a battle,害羞草研究所� said Hibbard. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just a testament to how much people want to see good in the world.害羞草研究所�

Hibbard added they are still accepting silent auction items and bake sale goodies are needed. Anyone who is able to donate items can drop them off at Time Flies.

Organizers Hernes and Hibbard can be reached through the event page on or via email at triciahernes@gmail.com Margie_hibbard@hotmail.com.