For his fifth birthday, James wanted money, not gifts. The money wasn’t for a special toy. James wanted to use it to remember his great-grandfather, “Papa,” who died from pancreatic cancer when James was three. He told his parents he wanted the doctors to use the money for a cure. He didn’t want anyone else to get sick like Papa.

With $5 of his own, plus funds he raised from friends and family, James donated $220 to VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation in Papa’s memory, becoming its youngest donor.

His parents Samantha and Stephen, and grandmother Leanna – a clinical nurse educator at VGH – are very proud of him.

His gesture also touched great-grandmother “Nan,” who was married to Papa for 50 years.

In fact, the diagnosis of terminal cancer came just weeks after Nan and Papa had returned from a special 50th anniversary vacation. Less than two months after that diagnosis, Papa passed away.

“Pancreatic cancer is an often silent cancer,” says Leanna. “Most patients, like my dad, don’t know that they are sick until it is much too late.”

James’ donation will provide hope to other patients by improving early detection screening and treatment options and increasing survival rates.

You can be any age to donate in memory of a loved one. Learn more.[:zh]

For his fifth birthday, James wanted money, not gifts. The money wasn’t for a special toy. James wanted to use it to remember his great-grandfather, “Papa,” who died from pancreatic cancer when James was three. He told his parents he wanted the doctors to use the money for a cure. He didn’t want anyone else to get sick like Papa.

With $5 of his own, plus funds he raised from friends and family, James donated $220 to VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation in Papa’s memory, becoming its youngest donor.

His parents Samantha and Stephen, and grandmother Leanna – a clinical nurse educator at VGH – are very proud of him.

His gesture also touched great-grandmother “Nan,” who was married to Papa for 50 years.

In fact, the diagnosis of terminal cancer came just weeks after Nan and Papa had returned from a special 50th anniversary vacation. Less than two months after that diagnosis, Papa passed away.

“Pancreatic cancer is an often silent cancer,” says Leanna. “Most patients, like my dad, don’t know that they are sick until it is much too late.”

James’ donation will provide hope to other patients by improving early detection screening and treatment options and increasing survival rates.

You can be any age to donate in memory of a loved one. Learn more