SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Songs cranked out energy over the floor of a Summerside gym Saturday afternoon, as one man got ready to sweat for a worthy cause.
Former professional hockey player and owner of Hustle Athletic Training Inc., Aaron Dawson, had onlookers counting as he began one-hour of pushups in a bid to raise funds for Camden Kingyens.
Camden was diagnosed over the Christmas holidays with an aggressive form of brain cancer that came as a “devastating shock” to his family. The three-year-old recently had a sepsis scare, but the life-threatening infection cleared his blood and the family is now hoping for no more setbacks.
“The sepsis resulted in two more surgeries, one to externalize his shunt (to remove excess fluid) and the other to remove his central line (for chemotherapy treatments) and a new line was added,” said Victoria Sara Kingyens, who has watched dozens of doctors in Halifax prod, poke and pump her son with medications while he lies helplessly in bed.
Back in Summerside, people like Dawson, who completed 639 pushups and raised $13,200 (and counting) for the Summerside family struggling with the diagnosis, continue to rally around the child and his family.
“Camden has one more week until cycle two of chemotherapy starts, but he will need an MRI scan to evaluate the status of his cancer. We are hopeful that the chemotherapy is working, and the tumours are shrinking,” said Kingyens, who gave up full-time work to be with her son.
“Our family is blown away by the support of our community and people like Aaron (Dawson) at Hustle, who have huge hearts and give so much of themselves," she said.
"We are deeply grateful for everyone supporting Camden and our family.”
Pam Rodgerson came to show her support at the Push Ups for Cam fundraiser at the gym on Water Street.
“Victoria and her husband, Matthew, have a phenomenal impact on the community. I have known them for a long time, and I was a secretary at Three Oaks Senior High School, so that’s where we met, and our children became friends. I’m also here to support Aaron and his fund, but more importantly, just praying for the Kingyens and hoping for a great future,” she said.
After chemotherapy at the IWK Health Centre, Camden will attend the Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto to finish his treatments.
“This is a long process and Camden’s cancer is aggressive. The treatment will take us into the summer, and even then, when it is done, I will live in Halifax for two months as he attends regular checkups at the IWK,” said Kingyens.
The Kingyens family said they are thankful for all the support.
“We want to send another huge thank you to Aaron, Lindsay and all the Hustle family. You’re all incredible and we will never be able to fully express how much we appreciate you all.”
To learn more visit the gym's Facebook page.
Donations can also be made through a GoFundMe account set up to help Camden and his family.
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