OTTAWA – Perth-Wellington MP John Nater recently paid tribute to a Mount Forest youth who lost a lengthy battle with brain cancer, calling him a “superhero” who put others ahead of himself.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Feb. 2, Nater stated Simon Edgar-Dickert, who passed away on Dec. 24, “was always smiling” despite his condition.
“Even while battling brain cancer for four years, he smiled through everything. He fought hard and he stayed true to his beautiful personality and his sense of humour,” said Nater.
“When it came time for him to make a wish to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, he thought of everyone else first. He thought of his younger siblings, Sadie, Sean and Emily, and his parents, Samantha and Tyler. While he was thinking of everyone else, the community of Mount Forest was thinking of him.
“Through their Gold Bikes for Simon campaign, he became their superhero, raising funds and awareness for childhood cancer.”
PERTH-WELLINGTON MP JOHN NATER (Advertiser file photo)
Nater added, “Mount Forest lost its superhero on Christmas Eve. Simon was only seven-years-old.
“May we all work for the day when kids can be kids, and childhood cancer is no more.”
Simon, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2018, was the inspiration for the Gold Bikes For Simon campaign initiated by a group of Mount Forest downtown business people to raise awareness of childhood cancer and funds for local families battling paediatric cancer and the Ronald McDonald House charity.
In 2021 Simon was named the Mount Forest District Chamber of Commerce youth citizen of the year.
