SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — It started with unusual symptoms that included a headache, sore belly, lack of colour and energy.
“A mother just knows when something is wrong,” Melanie Arsenault said, while studying her three-year-old daughter Georgia.
“There were days she didn’t have all her energy and would complain of pains, but it was nothing you would take your kid to the doctor for – at least not at that moment," said Arsenault.
“I would be watching my other two kids and then I’d look over at Georgia ... I said three or four times to my husband, Neil, that she needed bloodwork, maybe she was anemic because of the lack of colour in her cheeks and lips, but I had a fear inside me that it wasn’t the flu or a virus."
On a Monday morning, Georgia woke up with tears because of the pain in her legs. Her parents rushed her off for blood work.
“When I was in Grade 10 or 11, I had a teacher tell us about her son and the pains in his leg that led to a cancer diagnosis. While I ignored a lot of things in class and looked forward to the weekends, this was one of those moments that stuck with me forever, and I believe for this very reason, to save my child’s life,” said Arsenault, tears filling her eyes.
Georgia was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in May 2019, but early detection and diagnosis allowed for more treatment options.
“They barely could get any blood out when they checked her bone marrow because it was all leukemia cells, so they had to go in twice for the biopsy to identify what kind of leukemia she had. And the first month of Georgia's treatment was horrible because she was unrecognizable. Treatment comes in phases,” said Arsenault.
One chemotherapy treatment, called the “Red Devil” (doxorubicin), stripped Georgia of all her hair.
“She had beautiful, long hair,” said Arsenault, who travelled with her husband back and forth to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax and to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown for treatments.
“Georgia had chemotherapy yesterday,” said Arsenault, a Sherbrooke resident.
The chemotherapy treatments will end on July 21, 2021.
To alleviate the financial burden for the family and to thank the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, singer and songwriter Trinity Bradshaw will host and perform in a downtown street party this weekend.
Bradshaw is an award-winning country musician and a Summerside native.
“I went to school with Melanie (Arsenault) and we have remained friends over the years. When I saw Melanie’s Facebook post about her daughter and the diagnosis, it hit me hard. I can just cry thinking about it,” said Bradshaw.
“Georgia’s parents had posted a picture of her with no hair, wearing a beautiful white dress and a tiara, and in the caption, they called her a ‘Peach,’ so this inspired me to write a song. Georgia is such an inspiring little girl to go through cancer with a smile on her face – she just lights you right up,” she said.
"Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree for Georgia Peach" will take place in front of Uncle Mike’s Bar and Grill, located at 271 Water Street in Summerside, on Saturday, Dec 21, from 6 to 9 p.m.
There will be local artists performing Christmas jingles, as well as special Christmas cocktails, door prizes, and a 50/50 draw. The cordoned street will include lighting up a Christmas tree for Georgia and all the other fighters battling with something.
“The community has done a lot for us, so one of the first things I said to Trinity is that we want to donate half of the proceeds from the fundraiser back to the IWK hospital. I feel, at this point, we are ready to give back to the people that have done a lot for us,” said Arsenault.
If you go
- What: "Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree for Georgia Peach" fundraiser
- When: Saturday, Dec. 21
- Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
- Where: In front of Uncle Mike’s Bar and Grill, 271 Water St., Summerside
