Graeme MacRury is always happy to promote the annual Cops For Cancer event. This year害羞草研究所檚 campaign runs Sept. 13 to 20 and features  police agencies and emergency service personnel cycling for eight days across 800 km, raising money for childhood cancer research and support services at the Canadian Cancer Society.

A Mission firefighter, MacRury has a very personal reason for his involvement with the event.

On Dec. 18, 2018, MacRury害羞草研究所檚 four-year-old daughter Paisley was diagnosed with Leukemia. That was the beginning of the family害羞草研究所檚 cancer journey.

According to Graeme, when he first brought Paisley in, the doctors and nurses didn害羞草研究所檛 know why they were there. However, he was sure that something wasn害羞草研究所檛 right with his daughter.

Paisley was sent for blood work that Tuesday morning and by that night, at 5 p.m., the family was in Children害羞草研究所檚 Hospital. By 11 p.m. they were on the oncology ward with a diagnosis and 害羞草研究所渟ettling in for the whirlwind.害羞草研究所�

She spent the first month as an in-patient at Children害羞草研究所檚 Hospital with medical appointments six days a week. Her mom Lauren and Graeme stayed at Ronald MacDonald House to be close to her.

害羞草研究所淗er big concern when she was diagnosed was that somehow she was going to make us sick,害羞草研究所� said Graeme, but according to Paisley, her biggest fear was that 害羞草研究所淪anta wasn害羞草研究所檛 coming.害羞草研究所�

Somehow he managed to track down her location to deliver her presents.

害羞草研究所淲ith  Leukemia it害羞草研究所檚 a two-and-a-half to three year treatment process. It害羞草研究所檚 the longest treatment process of any oncology treatment because they are literally trying to get your body to completely regenerate all the bone marrow. She was fortunate that we caught it early, before it spread to her spinal fluid,害羞草研究所� explained Graeme.

During her first month at hospital, Paisley害羞草研究所檚 younger sister, Tenley, was sent to live with her grandparents for a few weeks but the family was reunited when they all returned home.

After leaving the hospital, Graeme said the  family spent 害羞草研究所渁bout a year going through her treatment and being super isolated and super clean. And then the rest of the world joined us because of Covid.害羞草研究所�

For the next two-and-a-half years Paisley continued to have oral chemo treatments. She also spent a period of almost three months back at Children害羞草研究所檚 Hospital.

As she went through her treatments, Paisley began to collect beads.

害羞草研究所淚t came from the Beads of Courage which is an oncology thing where everything you go through, each treatment, there害羞草研究所檚 a bead,害羞草研究所� explained Graeme.

Any procedure Paisley had from chemotherapy to blood work, or isolation days, hair loss, etc. she害羞草研究所檇 get a bead. Her collection is now almost too large to count.

Today, Paisley is 10 years old and her Leukemia has been in remission for four years. She and her family are just trying to return to a normal life.

Tenley, who is now 8 years old, said her sister害羞草研究所檚 illness sometimes bothered her. Her least favourite part was that 害羞草研究所淧aisley got all the attention because she had cancer. So I thought I was  left out from everything.害羞草研究所� She was also worried she would have to stay with her grandparents again and she didn害羞草研究所檛 want to be alone anymore.

But the good times have returned.

害羞草研究所淚 mostly just like having my sister back,害羞草研究所� said Tenley as she gave Paisley a hug.

As for Paisley, she doesn害羞草研究所檛 like to talk about the negative aspects of cancer treatment, instead she focuses on the positives.

One thing she did enjoy was Camp Good Times, a pediatric camp program featuring both kids and family camps.

Cops For Cancer is the primary fundraiser for Camp Good Times and Graeme does his best to support, fundraise and spread the word about the two organizations.

His affiliation with the two groups began when his family was asked it they wanted to be honorary riders at Cops For Cancer. They were also invited to attend Camp Good Times by their cousins, who have also gone through a cancer journey.

害羞草研究所淭he first time we were in it (Cops For Cancer) we were still in our protective bubble of like isolation, being very fresh on the cancer journey. It wasn害羞草研究所檛 until the year after Covid that we got more involved with Camp Good Times and Cops For Cancer,害羞草研究所� explained Graeme.

The two groups work under the umbrella of the Canadian Cancer Society. Cops for Cancer is one of the biggest funders to the camp.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 where we got involved helping both organizations as much as we can,害羞草研究所� added Graeme.

He said riders aren害羞草研究所檛 just police officers, many are corrections officers, paramedics, firefighters and other first responders who donate their time and efforts to help kids.

害羞草研究所淭hey start their process and application in March. They fundraise and practice throughout the year. Before they can take part in the ride they have to raise $6,000 in donations.害羞草研究所�

They also volunteer more time visiting the kids at the camp.

Graeme said there are four kids camps 害羞草研究所� three of which are at Loon Lake in Maple Ridge 害羞草研究所� and four family camps.

害羞草研究所淭he amount of healing that takes place at Camp Good Times where myself, as an oncology parent, can spend time talking to other parents who either have just got a diagnosis or are just starting their cancer journey, it害羞草研究所檚 amazing. It害羞草研究所檚 a shared experience.害羞草研究所�

While it benefits parents, Graeme said the camps benefit the kids more.

害羞草研究所淎t camp was the first time we saw Paisley come out of her shell, because she didn害羞草研究所檛 have to explain to anyone why she didn害羞草研究所檛 have any hair or why she had to wash her hands all the time, because everybody knew,害羞草研究所� said Graeme.

Paisley, who has been to six camps over the years, says they are a lot of fun. She enjoys the big water fight against the firemen as well as rock climbing, archery, canoing and so much more.

Like their father, Paisley and Tenley want to help support Cops For Cancer as much as they can.

害羞草研究所淲e wanted to do a lemonade stand with our friends, and Dad said let害羞草研究所檚 do it by donation for Cops for Cancer.害羞草研究所�

On Saturday (Sept. 7) you can visit Paisley and Tenley at their lemonade stand at Mission Fire Station #1 (located at 33330 7th Ave.) Glasses of lemonade are available by donation from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.