“Grayson’s Pasta Dinner” raises over $5k for young boy with cancer

Four-year-old Grayson Baldwin, being held by mom Stacey, was subject of a fundraiser in River Canard last Saturday night.

A fundraiser for a four-year-old boy with a rare form of cancer brought community members out in full force over the weekend.

“Grayson’s Pasta Dinner” fundraiser was held Saturday evening at the River Canard Columbian Club, with proceeds benefitting young Grayson Baldwin and his family. The proceeds from the event totalled $5,146.

Karey Montgomery, Grayson’s aunt, said the diagnosis came late last year.

“He was diagnosed two weeks before Christmas with Rhabdomyosarcoma,” she said. “Currently, it’s in his brain cavity. It started behind his eye and it’s in his lymph nodes.”

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer. His journey started last December when his family was having photos taken and they noticed his eye starting to bulge out. Trips to the eye doctor, a specialist, the emergency room and hospital followed and the diagnosis came a few days later.

Grayson was rushed to Toronto for a biopsy and MRI and that is when the family found out his cancer had spread. He was in hospital Dec. 22-Jan. 18 for treatment. He was able to be at the dinner Saturday night but is still undergoing chemotherapy and has to take numerous medications. Radiation starts March 11.This is not the first time Grayson has had to battle medical issues as he was hospitalized for two months shortly after being born.

Despite his treatments, Montgomery said Grayson remains an upbeat boy who likes meeting new people.

“He’s happy. He won’t tell us when he’s sick,” he said. “Nothing keeps him down. He’s the happiest little boy. He says ‘don’t be sad, be happy’.”

Money raised at last Saturday night’s chicken and pasta dinner fundraiser will help pay for medication costs, fees and travel expenses as the family still has to travel to London and Toronto for treatments. Sadly, the family also has to plan for a life without Grayson.

“The prognosis of this is less than a year,” said Montgomery. 

The fight against Grayson’s cancer will continue in the meantime.

“He goes for an MRI on the 17^th,” said Montgomery. “It will show whether the treatments are working.”

The family was pleased with the large crowd that turned out Saturday night, noting they only started planning the dinner a few weeks ago and word of it spread quickly. Grayson’s mother Stacey Baldwin thanked the crowd and those who helped organize the dinner, with other emotional tributes and prayers being shared as part of the night.

“Grayson’s Pasta Dinner” raises over $5k for young boy with cancer

By Ron Giofu