By Kathy Gallant

M.L. family overjoyed from community support for expensive cancer treatment

Oct 25, 2017 | 1:10 PM

A local girl struggling with a rare form of cancer is overjoyed with the support she has received from the community, after a fundraiser was held in her honour recently.

Hana Johnson, a 19-year-old Meadow Lake woman, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer this past February and underwent a successful surgery, chemo, and radiation. Unfortunately, she and her family recently learned the cancer returned in her spine.

Along with their team of medical professionals, the family discovered a type of treatment which can target the specific BRAF V600E mutation tumour Johnson is afflicted with. The therapy and accompanying drug cost upwards of $8,000 per month, and are not covered by Health Canada.

To help support the family, a number of fundraising initiatives were launched, including a GoFundMe page, a foundation by the local Knights of Columbus, a trust at the local RBC Branch, and an event on Monday, which was sold out to a capacity crowd of 500-plus people.

While Hana was too weak and tired from recent treatments to attend the event in Meadow Lake, her father Troy said he was speechless at the response from the community.

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“We can’t thank everyone enough for the support they’ve shown us, and what it means to us and to Hana,” he said. “It brings a smile to her face.”

Eben though Hana couldn’t attend the event in person, a live stream was set up so she could watch from home.

“She saw the amount of people that came out to support her to get back to health,” Johnson said. “It was great.”

The dinner and comedy show was organized by family friend Dawn Ethier. She said she was touched by the response and support from attendees, volunteers as well as various service groups. Hana was a swim coach for Manta Ray Swim Club, and the club made a donation to the cause, among several other groups.

“There were so many service groups and organizations that came,” Ethier said. “People pulled together to help their neighbour.”

The comedy show was hosted by Meadow Lake-born actor Dakota-Ray Hebert. People could also leave notes to Hana and the family, and Ethier said she stopped by to drop them off to the young girl after the event.

“She said she felt so blessed, she was so happy,” Ethier said. “She’ll be able to look at them and read them throughout her journey.”

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca  

On Twitter @ReporterKath