'I hope he can feel better': Edmonton students raise $10K to support classmate with cancer
Students at an Edmonton school rallied around one of their classmates with a terminal form of cancer on Wednesday.
Karter Bourgeault was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) in July. It's a cancer that attacks the brain stem, making up 10 to 15 per cent of brain tumours in children.
According to the DIPG Registry, fewer than 10 per cent of children diagnosed with the cancer will survive two years after diagnosis.
Karter's family says there aren't a lot of treatment options for DIPG in Canada.
They've spent thousands of dollars travelling to the States trying to get Karter into clinical trials, but so far have not been successful.
Because of that, his friends and classmates at Crawford Plains School in south Edmonton decided to raise money for research for Karter's cancer.
"It's an Oiler-themed fundraiser in Karter’s honour. The proceeds are going to brain cancer research for kids," said Karter's mom, Nicole Fraser.
During the Oilers playoff run, the school had fanfare days, selling blue and orange gear on game days.
"Today is our grand finale event where students have been getting pledges to have their hair shaved or dyed," Crawford Plains principal Lisa Nachtigal said.
Students at Crawford Plains School participate in a head shaving fundraiser on May 31, 2023. (CTV News Edmonton)
The students raised more than $10,000.
"My heart is bursting. I’m so proud of our school community and how they’ve rallied. This is a really special day today."
More than half of the money was raised by one student, Giles Baker.
Giles put out a call on his mother's Instagram page, pledging to shave his head in exchange for donations.
Giles Baker and his mother Kara. (CTV News Edmonton)
"Karter had cancer, so I wanted to shave my head to raise money for him," Giles told CTV News Edmonton.
He said it's hard watching his classmate go through a serious illness.
"I hope he can feel better."
His mother Kara Baker said she's proud of her son's accomplishment.
"His goal was $200, and we surpassed that by a milestone. We were able to raise $5,270."
"It's phenomenal. The fact that he could inspire so many people, and the generosity of people, it’s heartwarming."
Karter's family is still searching for a clinical trial to help their son.
Karter Bourgeault with his mother Nicole and father Richard on May 31, 2023. (CTV News Edmonton)
His mother says he took a turn for the worse in March, when the tumour splintered in his brain.
"Now that he took this turn I’ve stopped working. [His father's] been lucky enough to be home with him since he got diagnosed, but we’re just spending as much time with him as we can because there is no other treatments."
Fraser said they don't know what's next for Karter, but being at school and the support from his friends has helped him through some of the dark days.
"The kids here have been so amazing for him. He's had such support from all of them."
"It definitely makes him push harder and he tries to succeed more."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jessica Robb and Brittany Ekelund
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.