Members of Mount Pearl City Council were joined by former Candlelighters President Wendy Chaulk and son Andrew Chaulk on September 17 to proclaim September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Former Mount Pearl resident Wendy Chaulk served as president of the organization for a decade following her son’s cancer diagnosis in 1997.Chaulk said she was overwhelmed by the support her family received during her son’s cancer treatment. From left are councillors Isabelle Fry, Chelsea Lane, Jim Locke, Mayor Dave Aker, Andrew Chaulk, Wendy Chaulk, Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley, and councillors Bill Antle and Mark Rice. Mark Squibb photo
‘Mount Pearl is the very best community in the province for community spirit’
By Mark Squibb
Former Mount Pearl resident Wendy Chaulk can still vividly remember the day her son Andrew was diagnosed with cancer.
“When a doctor looked at me and told me that my son had a sizeable brain tumor, and that he had a 50 percent chance of living, it was jarring, it was shocking, and it was scary,” said Chaulk. “And for many parents, this is their reality.”
That was in 1997. Andrew was a student at Park Avenue Elementary and member of the Mount Pearl Blades hockey team, a regular kid facing an imposing foe.
Andrew, now 38 and cancer-free, joined his mother Wendy, who served as president of the Candlelighters Association of Newfoundland and Labrador for 10 years following Andrew’s cancer diagnosis, in council chambers earlier this month to help the City of Mount Pearl proclaim September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
“We are so grateful that we were residents of the City of Mount Pearl because let me tell you, it took about three or four months to get through the meals in our freezer,” said Chaulk. “And that’s important… I’ve never gotten that community feeling in St. Johns, which is where I grew up… I think Mount Pearl is the very best community in the province for community spirit.”
Chaulk’s presentation resonated with Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley, who was struck by a vehicle and severely injured last May.
“My journey did not include cancer, but it certainly included a day when, like you said, everything stopped,” said Kieley. “And you don’t realize the support you need from your community until something is right at your doorstep.”
Kieley along with other members of council, commended Chaulk and her family for not only enduring their hardship, but for helping others endure hardships through their many years of volunteering with the Candlelighters Association.
Councillor Jim Locke, who taught Andrew in high school, also spoke highly of the family, and of Andrew in particular.
“Andrew never asked for special treatment,” said Locke. “He worked his buns off. He didn’t want to be acknowledged and didn’t want to stand out. He was just a regular student in class. He persevered. He asked questions when he needed to. And I remember him having a wry sense of humour.”
Chaulk recalled the various challenges her family faced during Andrew’s treatment, including the impact of treatment on his overall health.
She said in some instances, the cure can also be a curse.
“As they age out of the Janeway and into the adult system, they have special needs, because the radiation and the chemo cause damage,” said Chaulk. “The radiation affects cognitive ability and reduces it in some areas.”
Chaulk, who with her husband also helped run the Children’s Cancer Camp during their tenure with the Candlelighters, recalled meeting with members of school staff, such as Locke, ahead of each new school year to discuss Andrew’s condition.
“I met with the teachers and with the school every September until Andrew graduated, and every year they took time to sit with me and give me a path,” said Chaulk. “We focused on the areas he was strong in and as a community we got him through. And so, these are the little things that don’t seem that important, but they really are.”
As per the City’s proclamation, there are about 10,000 children living with cancer in Canada today, and each year about 1,600 new cases are diagnosed, over 25 of which are children living in this province.
Despite a nearly 75 percent cure rate, childhood cancer is responsible for more deaths among Canadian children than any other disease.
