Heidi Hayes

A hero: a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. When the word hero is presented to any individual, the automatic idealisation is of a strapping and charming man saving helpless women and children from a tragedy. I find this idea to be extremely sexist and false, a hero can be anyone of any size, gender or skin colour. Someone who turns a tragedy into a positive situation can be called a hero, and to me that defines Heidi Hayes.

Heidi Hayes is a local twelve year old girl from Orillia, Ontario. She enjoys playing basketball, being with family and friends and is involved in a variety of major acting roles. Heidi’s life was put on hold when she found out on February 29th 2008 she had been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Cancer in children and adolescents is rare. But, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is the most common cancer in children, representing 23 percent of cancer diagnoses among children younger than 15 years of age. It occurs in about one of every 29,000 children in Canada. Heidi unfortunately is included in this statistic. She is the one out of those 29,000 children whom it affects. Heidi says “When you hear a doctor say leukemia your heart starts beating 10000 times faster.”

The day Heidi found out about being diagnosed with Leukemia, she was admitted to Sick Kids hospital and started chemotherapy two days after that. Since trips to the hospital would be often, Heidi, her mother Elizabeth and two sisters, Nakita and Mallarie stayed in their uncle’s one bedroom condo in Toronto. The living situation was in place for a little over a month and then after that, they decided to just travel back and forth to Sick Kids.

Summer of 2008 were some of the worst times for Heidi. At this time she had to have several chemo treatments, lost all of her hair and was just in excruciating pain. “All my hair fell out at the end of July. I felt horrible from the all the chemo. I had horrible mouth sores. I was so weak that I couldn't even run to first base! I spent most of August admitted in Sick Kids. I was really, really sick. It was very, very scary. I actually thought I was going to die.” Those are words a twelve year old girl should never have to speak of. All they should have to worry about is making it to practices on time and to finishing their homework, not how many treatments they’ve had that month or worrying that their end is near.

Early on in the new year of 2009 Heidi stated "I'm in maintenance now. That means that I will have chemo in my port once a month, chemo in my spine every 3 months, oral chemo at home every night, steroids 5 days a month and blood work every two weeks until summer of 2010.” Can you imagine at this young of an age, these are the things you need to be worried about. Heidi Hayes is the strongest person I have ever known. When around this sweet-heart of a child you would never be able to tell what she has gone through; it's like the cancer hasn’t affected her life at all. On the days she can, Heidi will go outside and play sports, hangout with friends and family and just be a kid. The positive outlook Heidi has on life is inspirational. “I have met lots and lots of kids that are being treated for cancer. I know kids that are survivors of cancer and sadly, I know kids that have died from their cancer. Having cancer stinks! However, things could be way worse. Last Christmas, I asked Santa for life, health and love. When I'm sad about having cancer, I remember what Santa wrote back to me. He said to remember that I already have life, health and love. He's right! I do. My life may be a little messed right now, but it is still a great life. Other than having leukemia right now, I am really healthy. And I have so much love I can't even describe it.”

In May of 2010, family and friends were ecstatic to find out that after multiple surgeries and scares about her fevers, that Heidi’s oncology team said that the lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspirate showed no signs of leukemia. Heidi had won her battle with cancer. When the word hero is presented to any individual, the automatic idealisation should include not only the brave and noble men, but also recognize the everyday people that turn their tragedy into a positive situation, that’s why in my opinion Heidi Hayes is a true hero.