Boy to wear survivor shirt at leukemia walk

The last time North York's Hascal family took part in the Light the Night walk for leukemia and lymphoma, David, then three years old, had just been diagnosed with blood cancer and was too ill to attend.

But on Thursday, Oct. 8, the six-year-old boy will be wearing a survivor shirt as he takes part in the walk at Nathan Phillips Square that pays tribute to people whose lives have been touched by blood cancer.

"This year is meaningful. It's really exciting," said David's mother, Lisa Hascal.

In March 2006, just eight weeks after David became a big brother to little sister Jessica, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Although rare, it is the most common type of leukemia, or blood cancer, in children under the age of 15.

At first, Hascal and her husband Adrian attributed David's sudden change of disposition to his sister's arrival.

"He was pretty withdrawn. I thought it was because I had just had my daughter," she said.

The little boy then began suffering from a persistent fever, ear infections and night sweats.

Hascal began looking up symptoms on the Internet and feared her son was ill with leukemia.

Although the boy's doctor initially believed Hascal had an overactive imagination, he became alarmed when he examined David's stomach and felt his enlarged spleen.

The doctor advised the Hascals to take David to hospital, where blood tests confirmed he had ALL.

Since then, David has endured 103 rounds of intravenous chemotherapy, had 11 shots of chemo with a very long needle inserted into his thigh muscle, taken more than 1,400 pills by mouth, been bald for six months, had half a dozen blood transfusions, undergone six bone marrow aspirations in which a needle is used to take bone marrow fluid from the spine, made 50 trips to the emergency department, spent 45 nights in hospital, endured two surgeries and faces one more.

In February 2007, David came close to dying when his blood became septic or poisonous. His organs began to shut down and his blood pressure remained stubbornly low.

Only after intensive treatment did he finally rally and got better.

Despite all he has endured, the last three-and-a-half years haven't been all misery for David and his family.

For example, David attended Camp Trillium for children with cancer.

And in March, the family visited Disney World thanks to the Children's Wish Foundation, which grants dreams to children with high-risk and life-threatening illnesses.

"It was amazing. The first time we did something fun in years," Hascal said.

She said her family feel strongly about participating in the Light the Night walk, which raises awareness and funds for research to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma.

If David had been diagnosed with ALL a generation ago, he likely would not have survived.

"One of the reasons we're really into walking and raising money (is) 30 years ago, he wouldn't have had good progress but because of research, the prognosis is good. Not perfect but good," Hascal said.