To look at 18 year old Trevor Young with his closely cropped brown curls, beard and mischievous smile –
it’s hard to imagine that he’s been on the cancer battlefield – not once, but twice, fighting for his life.
He is saving money for university despite his affinity for the odd ‘impulse purchase.’ “I bought a
harmonica today… for no reason,” he laughs, his eyes twinkling.
So, armed with a shiny new harmonica, and plans to attend the University of Ottawa for International
Studies and Modern Languages, Trevor starts to share his story – one shaped by cancer, his family and
friends … and CHEO.
Just before Trevor turned four his mom noticed he was bruising easily – after the slightest bump or fall.
He was taken to CHEO for bloodwork and within hours, Trevor’s life changed forever. The diagnosis:
acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).
“I don’t remember much – but I do remember the needles, the IV and the chemotherapy,” Trevor
recalls. “I used to call the IV a ‘Scooby Doo’ …. I also remember losing my hair.”
Trevor loved school – but didn’t get to go often. CHEO was his home. On the rare occasions he was able
to go to school, he had to sit on the sidelines. “Going back to school was tough sometimes – I was
actually more comfortable in the hospital because everyone understood.”
After two years in treatment, Trevor went back to school, full time.
“Remission was fun,” Trevor says with a grin. “I went back to school, made lots of friends. I became a
road hockey goalie. Everything was perfect,” he says, his voice trailing off.
After being healthy for six years Trevor was enjoying the summer before 7th grade when he developed a
deep and intense cough. Cough syrup, antibiotics and inhalers didn’t help. It was an x-ray that showed
something shocking: a grapefruit-sized tumour outside of Trevor’s left lung that was also pressing on his
heart, causing fluid to build up around it.
He was immediately sent to CHEO for a full set of tests and scheduled for a biopsy of the tumour. The
doctors were worried the anesthesia would result in Trevor suffocating, so he had to stay awake for the
invasive procedure. He was given a potent cocktail of drugs to keep him from feeling any pain.
“I didn’t feel a thing,” he muses. “But it was a different story when the doctors showed up to tell me it
was cancer. It was intense,” Trevor recalls. “It must be tough for them, too… breaking that kind of news
– especially to a kid. I didn’t want to go through it all again – but, I had no choice.”
The next step was surgery to remove as much of Trevor’s tumour as possible, determine the type of
cancer he had and decide if chemo, radiation or a combination of the two would be required.
Trevor’s family rallied around him. His surgery was a seven hour procedure. He recalls his ride to the OR
- with a stuffed monkey his sister had given to him by his side – as the time he was most truly terrified.
“I told the surgeon I was scared and he told me not to worry. There was a nurse helping me stay calm.
When she said everything was going to be okay – I believed her,” he says quietly.
It was a painful recovery from the surgery – but the oncology team had some good news. They
reassessed his diagnosis. He had t-cell lymphoma which would require chemotherapy, but not radiation.
“Once I knew what I was dealing with – something clicked – I was crazy ready to fight,” says Trevor.
Trevor began a two year treatment plan in August 2009. The building intensity of the chemotherapy
resulted in side effects: hair loss, weight gain from the steroids he had to be on, headaches and nausea
– sometimes for months on end. He would have 24 hour chemo sessions requiring him to be admitted
to the hospital.
“I remember the nurses being amazing – especially Noah and Brenda on 4 North. They became my
second family. I was never scared when I was with them,” he says.
Trevor went back to school in April 2010 – to a new school and new people. It was August of 2011 when
he wrapped up his treatment – just in time for the start of Grade 8. The occasion was marked with a
‘Remission Party’ at Laser Quest. He quickly resumed his routine – but three years later – he had this
nagging feeling that he needed to give back.
So, in January 2014 – he stopped cutting his hair. His plan was to grow it out and donate it to Angel Hair
for Kids, a charity that makes wigs for kids with cancer. As his hair grew, his thoughts turned to ways he
could make this whole thing bigger. Of course, he became pretty attached to his flowing locks.
“I was lookin’ good,” Trevor grins. “The girls loved it – and some were jealous of it. I even rocked a
‘man bun’ for a while.”
Then Trevor took his campaign online – setting up a GoFundMe page where he shared his story – and it
went viral. People from all over the world were donating. He set up donation jars in the restaurant
where he worked. This past September, when Trevor cut his hair, he had raised more than $2,000 with
his campaign.
“There was no question where the money would go,” Trevor says. “CHEO is the reason I’m here today. I
owe them my life- not only a second chance- but a third chance at life! With these two cancers – I could
have been gone. I’m living like a rock star! Working – planning my future. It’s the life I’m supposed to
have at 18. I have everything I need – good people around me and being alive… and it’s because of
CHEO!
When asked if he thinks about his experience every day – he answers: “It’s not that simple. I don’t like
to compare myself to others – even when I was sick I knew there were people worse off than me,” he
says. “But having cancer gave me a new perspective. I realize it’s important to enjoy the simple things.
I don’t take anything in life for granted.”