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St. John's
youth group lends a helping hand
By Jeffrey
Pickette
Citizen Staff
For the
better part of this summer, members of the Youth Ministry
Program at St. John the Evangelist Church in Canton have helped
to organize a benefit on behalf of Meghan McLaughlin, a
21-year-old Braintree resident and Bridgewater State College
student recently diagnosed with cancer for the second time. The
fact that most of the group’s members have not met McLaughlin
seems to be of little importance.
“Helping
someone like this and being able to know that you can help
someone in a situation like this is one of the greatest feelings
you can ever have,” said Tim Brooks, a member of the youth group
and a 2004 graduate of Canton High. “Whether they know her or
not, they know [Meghan’s] in need.”
Under the
guidance of youth minister Lorraine M. Wright, the youth group
has planned Meghan’s Day, a charitable fundraiser that will
include a softball tournament, a cookout, a silent auction,
various raffles, face painting, and entertainment provided by a
DJ. The event will take place from 12 to 6 p.m. on August 17 at
Memorial Field behind CHS. All proceeds will go directly to the
McLaughlin family and the Jimmy Fund.
Members of
the youth group first heard about McLaughlin’s battle with
cancer at a June retreat to Cape Cod, where they were joined by
members of another youth group from Sacred Heart Parish in
Weymouth.
In addition
to hearing her story, a moving letter submitted to the
Braintree Forum by Sean McLaughlin, Meghan’s 24-year-old
brother, was read aloud to members of both parishes. The letter
chronicled how McLaughlin remained brave and maintained her
positive attitude in spite of her health struggles.
“I don’t
think there is anyone else besides my sister who could go
through this with a smile on her face,” Sean McLaughlin said.
“She is someone people should look up to.”
Meghan
McLaughlin was first diagnosed with A.L.L., a form of leukemia,
at the age of 9 and underwent chemotherapy treatments and brain
stem radiation. She also had to wear a back brace for two years
to correct scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and had to deal
with a case of cysts (fluid-filled sacs) on her ovaries.
Last
September, McLaughlin experienced recurring migraines that
continued to intensify. A precautionary MRI showed a cluster of
blood vessels that were bleeding in her brain, the effects of
radiation from her first bout of cancer. McLaughlin continued
with regular MRI appointments to monitor her condition.
During
her March visit, doctors discovered a tumor above her right eye
that proved to be cancerous. The fast-growing malignant tumor
was removed surgically in April and McLaughlin began radiation
treatments that were administered every Monday through Friday
from June 12 — the day after her 21st birthday
— until this past Tuesday.
“Not to say
that I was lucky to have the malformation (bleeding of the
brain), but if it wasn’t for that they would have never detected
the tumor because I never had any side effects from it,”
McLaughlin said.
According to
McLaughlin, doctors have classified the brain tumor as
potentially life threatening and it is probable that it will
grow back at some point in the future. Her next treatment plan
is still being discussed, although it is possible she will
receive an oral form of chemotherapy.
While this
round of cancer has caused fatigue and partial hair loss,
McLaughlin remains upbeat. Less than two weeks after her brain
surgery she returned to Bridgewater State to complete her junior
year.
“People keep
on coming up to me and going, ‘You have such a positive
attitude; you’re so strong; how do you do it?’ Seriously, I’m
not quite sure how I do it,” McLaughlin said. “I have my down
days when I kind of reflect back, but I try not to think about
it because every day is such a precious day.”
For many at
the retreat, McLaughlin’s story served as a reality check.
“I was [at
the retreat] trying to relieve my stress, thinking that I had a
lot of problems going on,” Brooks said. “I heard this story, and
it was so powerful to see that someone around my age could have
so many more real problems going on that it just instantly made
all the things that I had going on seem so trivial.”
Groups at
the retreat were instructed to design a community-oriented
project and ultimately the St. John’s Youth Ministry members
chose to organize the Meghan’s Day benefit. A core group of 15
have met every Tuesday evening to plan for this event.
Brooks
admits that the first ten minutes of these weekly meetings can
be “absolute chaos” as members share the progress they have made
in the last week, whether it be wooing sponsors or advertising
for the event. Still, he said there is a “bombardment of
positive energy and excitement” that fills the room.
“These kids
are unbelievable leaders,” Wright said. “I think that a lot of
times people think that the kids of today don’t do much, they
don’t give back — these kids are just phenomenal; they’re
totally the opposite. These ideas are coming directly from them.
I can’t be any prouder.”
The youth
group has secured donations from local merchants like Reebok,
Simply Smith’s Catering, Mimi Nails, Salon Monique, and
Centerfields Bar & Grille. Pepsi donated soda for the event and
the Canton Recreation Department waived the fee for renting
Memorial field.
The youth
group also organized a carwash, held July 20 at St. John’s,
raising $700 to help defray the costs for Meghan’s Day. A week
before the carwash, six members helped with reconstruction work
at a house in Scituate and offered their $500 stipend to the
cause.
“A small
group of people can make a big difference,” said Paul Wedge, who
will be a senior this fall at CHS.
“I love
helping other people, so for them to think of me, I think it’s
amazing,” McLaughlin said. “It gives me chills up my back.”
Tickets
for Meghan’s Day are $8 for adults and $5 for children, with a
$25 family maximum. Children four and younger are free. For more
information, contact the St. John’s Youth Ministry Program at
781-830-6965.
July 31, 2008
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