Youth raises $3,000 for cancer foundation

In only about three weeks, OIds High School Grade 9 student John Kjorsvik raised about $3,000 for cancer research.

The most spectacular part of that fundraising occurred the night of Jan. 4, when he had his hair, which had grown to more than 10 inches, shaved off during an event at the fire hall.

That spectacle raised about $1,000. The remainder was raised online in December.

John got the idea when his dad Jason, a deputy fire chief, and his mom Grace, were talking about Corey Thompson, wife of fire Chief Lorne Thompson.

Corey was diagnosed with cancer in August 2014. Physicians thought they had it beaten after several chemo treatments. One of her legs was amputated during the battle.

However, the Thompsons learned lately that the cancer had returned, spreading to other parts of her body.

John didn't want to do an interview with the news media, so his dad, Jason, spoke for him.

"It was the middle of December there. We started just promoting it on social media and some emails that went out internally to friends and family and then the fire department and stuff like that.

"In the course of about two-and-a-half weeks, three weeks, he had raised $2,000 online and an additional $1,000 last night at the fire hall. It was really successful," Jason said.

"He set a goal of $500 because he wasn't sure (how it would go) and within 12 hours online that had been passed."

After that campaign started, John learned in December that his grandfather had also been diagnosed with cancer - and it was proclaimed to be terminal.

"It hit him with a double-edged sword," Jason said. "He's grown up around the fire hall of course, with me being here. He's 14 years old.

"Then his grandfather got cancer too, so he's having a really bad battle with it right now too. So he really wanted to do this."

Jason and Grace are impressed with their son's action.

"For those people who know John, his hair was his big thing," Jason said with a laugh. "He had a lot of hair.

"It had been about five years that he had been growing that hair - four or five years since he's had a nice short haircut like mine," he added with another laugh.

"But we never worried about his hair, you know - that was him and he was pretty proud of it.

"He was pretty proud of what he did and we're really proud of what he accomplished there because there are not a lot of 14-year-old boys around that do that."

It was all over in about five minutes. Plans call for the hair to be donated for wigs for cancer victims.

John wanted Corey and his grandfather to be at the fire hall for the hair cutting, but neither one of them were able to do so, so after John's hair was gathered into ponytails, Lorne Thompson and his son Brandon cut the first two.

Jason was asked how his son is reacting to his new look.

"Well, he's getting used to it. He used to have his hair cut like this years ago," he said.

"He had a moment where he was a little upset that his hair was gone, but he wears a tuque all the time anyhow; his head won't get cold. But you know, he doesn't mind it.

"He's already stated to me that he's growing his hair back so you know, maybe this is something that he'll do every so often."

Lorne Thompson, speaking for Corey, is very grateful for John's decision.

"What the young man did was fantastic. It just goes to show that this community has some really good young people in it. Everyone should be proud of him - not just the fire department," he said.

"His hockey team - not his whole team, but a lot of his teammates and his friends, they were at the hall to watch. They support him. So it just goes to show you that a lot of times we overlook our youth; there are some good kids out there."

Because Corey was unable to attend the hair-cutting event, Lorne videotaped it and showed it to her later.

"She just thought it was fantastic," he said.

"When she's feeling a little better here we're definitely going to hook up with John and Jason and Grace and visit with them so that she can properly thank John herself.

"Corey's met John before. We know them, but she just wants to talk to him again; see him without his hair, " he added with a laugh.

Reports say donations can still be made at http://albertacancer.ca/Johnsheadshave.