Showing support for a sick schoolmate

I still remember the day he walked into Mrs. Horie’s Grade 6 classroom at Algonquin Ridge Elementary School.

His confident walk told me he wasn’t afraid of coming to a new educational institution, a few weeks before the school year ended. As he introduced himself to the class, his voice clear and error free, I wondered what he was thinking.

Over the next few weeks, I learned that Adam Fedosoff loved to play hockey, he was the guitarist for an AC/DC tribute band called Tantrum, his nickname was Feddy, and he simply loved to hang out with friends.

Less than one year later, on May 4, 2007, Adam was diagnosed with high-risk acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, one of the most common types of cancer diagnosed in children under 19 years old, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

“I don’t think there was much I could think of," said Adam, recalling hearing the news. "I was 13 (years old); I didn’t know what I was in for.”

His classmates and friends had mixed emotions when they first heard the devastating news.

Sabrina Kauldhar, a friend of Adam’s, said her first thought was, “No way, not him; that’s impossible.”

Not many dared to imagine the pokes, chemotherapy, spinal taps or utmost bravery Adam would require to get through the challenge he’d been handed. But most students wanted to help. This was the beginning of a series of bake sales, lemonade stands and fundraisers set-up to help Adam, his family and cancer research. One of the most memorable fundraisers was a talent show where the entire school was brought together to make a difference.

Adam overcame the difficult battle the following year.

While school was not his main focus while in the hospital, being in elementary school made it easier to get through the year, he says. Despite missing countless days due to illness, Adam graduated that year, alongside all his fellow classmates. But Adam’s battle was not yet over. On May 22 of this year, he was diagnosed with an isolated central nervous system relapse.

This time, Adam was attending Innisdale Secondary School, where he’d made many more friends. For the weeks until school ended, with the news spreading across the school, Innisdale buzzed with fundraisers and students who wanted to make a difference in Adam’s life.

Cameron Lacey, a friend of Adam’s, volunteered at a swap, where as much equipment as possible was gathered from local hockey players.

“We ended up getting thousands of pieces of equipment,” Lacey said. “It was very successful and we had lots of people out (to) help.”

Adam is currently awaiting a bone marrow transplant. Meanwhile, he’s undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and cranial radiation.

But he's overwhelmed by the outpouring of affection from the school community.

“It’s not me who got people involved,” Adam said. “It was friends who wanted to help. Those are the people that made a difference, and they helped me. I look at things differently; I don’t really have time for people with stupid problems that are meaningless within 24 hours.”

Students now wear orange 'Support Feddy' bracelets, as a reminder of Adam's battle every day. He fights, we hope.