Family, friends of 15-year-old Vancouver cancer survivor raise $5 million for BC Children's Hospital

Teen cancer survivor Nick Cannon speaks at an even celebrating Team Nicky's donation to BC Children's Hospital. (BC Children's Hospital)

A Vancouver teen who survived an extremely rare cancer diagnosis has left his mark on BC Children's Hospital.

In fact, he's left his name there.

The Team Nicky Hospital Chair in Hematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant will provide ongoing funding for specialized care and innovative treatments and programs at BC Children's.

The chair is named for Nicholas "Nicky" Cannon, who – at age 12 back in 2021 – was diagnosed with Stage 4 sarcoma, a soft-tissue cancer.

Now 15 and cancer free, Nicky – who also goes by Nick – spent more than 170 days in the hospital, enduring 13 rounds of chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, 19 surgeries, liver ablation therapy, and three weeks of radiation.

"Team Nicky" is the community group that came together to support the boy during his ordeal, and it has transformed into a fundraising machine since his cancer went into remission.

"Team Nicky started before we were raising funds," said Kelly Cannon, Nicky's mother, in an interview with CTV News.

"Team Nicky came together as a community that was helping us bring soup to our door and meals to our place up at the hospital and just cards of cheer."

Kelly said the family set the goal of endowing a chair in Nicky's name and received a $1 million donation from the Beedie Foundation toward that purpose. They've since received dozens more donations, large and small, toward the cause.

"What's unique about this is: Chairs at the hospital need to be a $5-million donation, and typically that's reserved for an incredible organization or company or a family that is able to donate that," Kelly explained.

"We're not in those circumstances, but our community was able to be in those circumstances to raise (the funds) together."

Dr. Caron Strahlendorf, head of the hospital's Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and BMT, has been named the inaugural chair holder.

"The Division of Hematology, Oncology and BMT is united in our focus to provide exceptional care to our patients and their families," said Strahlendorf in a news release announcing the Team Nicky donation.

"Together, with the support of the generous Team Nicky community of donors, we can help create a brighter future for every child diagnosed with cancer or a blood disorder."

Nicky himself told CTV News he's deeply thankful for everyone who donated.

"Seeing a community rally around us and be able to raise $5 million, it's pretty incredible to see," he said. "Even $1,000 is worth everything because it's just getting put into a place where it's getting used to make a child's life better."

Kelly was similarly grateful for the support, and to see her community respond to help other children going through what her son experienced.

"It moves me beyond measure to know that it's not just for Nicky," she said.