Friends are organizing a raffle fundraiser for 14-year-old Dylan Auliffe who was diagnosed with cancer just over a month ago.
The 14-year-old grade 9 student at Centre Wellington District High School has a rare bone cancer – Ewing’s Sarcoma.
His mother, Debbie Auliffe, said in an interview on Tuesday that Dylan is a basketball player but did not play for the team in September because of a sore back.
That pain grew and he was diagnosed, with the cancer in his tailbone.
His father, David Auliffe, said that between the diagnosis and the start of chemotherapy at McMaster Hospital in Hamilton, the cancer expanded quickly. It has now spread to Dylan’s bone marrow and his lungs.
“He’s quite ill,” Dylan’s dad said, adding that the doctors give his son a 25% chance of surviving.
David Auliffe added the chemotherapy is very aggressive, with treatments every two weeks. “They’s hoping to kill it” he said, because with the cancer’s location, there can be no operation.
Once he finishes that treatment, Dylan will need to have radiation treatments as well.
Debbie Auliffe has taken time off work from Centre Wellington Hydro to be with Dylan. David has been working off and on at his job with the city of Guelph. They have an autistic daughter who needs much care.
The high school has already held a fundraiser, where several teachers shaved their heads, including one woman. The school was closed for March break and no calls to there were returned. Some students’ parents said on the weekend that the school quickly raised several thousand dollars, but the total could not be verified.
Donations for the current fundraiser can be made through the TD Canada Trust Elora branch.
The fundraiser is a raffle with tickets at $10 each to raise money to help the family with the added expenses they are now enduring.
A teller at the TD Elora Branch, Margie, has set up the account for donations and she can be contacted there for tickets or to make a donation.
Robbin Lovell, Dylan’s aunt, also has tickets available. She said people can call her cell phone at 519-993-4802 and leave a message and she will get back to them. She said if she has to, she will deliver the tickets.
She added that if people want to make donations to the raffle, that is also possible. She added that people can also call her at hone at 519-846-5107 and leave a message.
The raffle will be held at Centre Wellington District High School on April 1.
