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Jack, Crystal, Malcolm, and Jody Sheilds are new to Relay for Life, but the family is making a big impact.
Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance
Relay for Life
Brother joins leukemia fight
A 10-year-old fighting for his brother’s life has earned thousands of dollars for Relay for Life this year.
Parents Jody and Crystal are impressed with per cent. both their sons, who have shouldered a lot in This is not the first time cancer has struck the last six months. the Shields family. The battle with cancer began in January, Malcolm has lost a grandfather to lung when Jack started having unusual pains in cancer, diagnosed in 2011, a grandmother to one leg. leukemia, diagnosed in 2005, and his father He was limping, but the family doctor Jody’s own dad died in 1973 of pancreatic by Matthew Claxton initially thought it was a virus, cancer when Jody was just mclaxton@langleyadvance.com said Crytal. four. Malcolm and Jack Shields like to spend “It seemed to get better,” she Even at his young age, he “For the next three their time putting together Lego, firing Nerf said. understood what cancer was years and two months, and what it could mean. guns at one another, or just hanging out. On a mid-February trip to Jack is fighting for his Malcolm, 10, and Jack, who just turned six, Whistler, the pain flared up, and “But I didn’t think it are also united by the younger brother’s fight Jack couldn’t bend his left leg or would fall on my brother life.” against cancer. even walk on it. this early,” Malcolm said. Malcolm Shields Jack was diagnosed with leukemia in In intense pain, he was This spring, around the March, and is about to start his third round of rushed to Vancouver’s Childrens same time the family was chemotherapy. Hospital, and was there for two weeks. The coming to grips with Jack’s diagnosis, a letMalcolm is backing up his brother problem was initially diagnosed as a ter came home from school about the annual by raising money for the Langley Relay blood flow restriction, and the family Langley Relay for Life. It’s a new school for Donate with was sent home. for Life, a fundraiser for the Canadian the family, which just enrolled their boys in Cancer Society. At the end of the month, pain Glenwood Elementary in September. They As of Wednesday morning, Malcolm returned, this time in Jack’s shoulder. had never heard of Relay for Life, a 12-hour has raised an astounding $18,495. He “Not as bad as my leg,” Jack noted. non-competitive event, until this year. But has repeatedly raised his goal, which A blood test showed something was they were ready to do something. now sits at $25,000. wrong with Jack’s bone marrow. Malcolm joined the team, and the entire “For the next three years and two months, “I said, ‘Well, that’s cancer,’” said Crystal. family jumped on board. Jack is fighting for his life,” Malcolm said. It was confirmed as acute lymphoblastic “My first goal was $5,000,” said Malcolm. Malcolm is inspired by his younger brother. leukemia. While it was devastating for the He said he wasn’t worried about getting “He’s been so strong,” Malcolm said. family, it did come with the news that this that much money. When it’s time for a treatment, Jack is almost type of leukemia is treatable. About 80 per He knew he could write a good enough always ready to go to the hospital. “I could story to get people to donate. cent of children diagnosed will be cured, and continued on page A26… probably never do what he did.” the survival rate in the near term is above 93