Sedins 'heroes' to sick boy

Photo: Contributed

Neeley Brimer will always remember the joy on her son's face when he met his heroes, Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

"William was just beside himself, he couldn't speak, he couldn't talk, he was incredibly starstruck," Brimer said.

William Hodgkinson, also known as Wills, is a seven-year-old Penticton boy suffering from Wilms tumors, a form of cancer that starts in the kidneys. He has been battling the disease as an in-patient at the B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver since January. 

In March, he got to meet his "absolute heroes," the Sedin twins, when he watched a Canucks game and got a tour of Rogers Arena after the Canucks were informed about his condition.

"We'd kind of told him it could be a possibility [to meet them] but we weren't sure, because it was post game," said Brimer. "But Daniel walked out first and William was very taken aback. He was just incredible, came out still sweaty from the game, hadn't showered, and took the time to really stop and talk to William."

Henrik followed minutes later, and William got photos and autographs from both. 

Brimer said they had been hoping to take William home to Penticton in April, but due to some of his tumours not reducing in size as much as doctors wanted, they will be staying for a surgery in May and further chemotherapy. 

But no extra medication will stop William from watching his favourite players in their last ever home game tonight.

"He's looking forward to it, he won't miss it. They are heroes in his eyes for sure," Brimer said. 

The community of Penticton is pulling for William's recovery. A large fundraiser was held last month at the Adidas Soccerplex to support the family, with another planned next week at Cascades Casino. And there's some good news in his status — his tumours appear not to be anaplastic, which in layman's terms means they are more likely to respond to chemotherapy.

"We're hoping that all of that means that with this extra chemotherapy we'll be in a better place in 12 weeks' time," Brimer said.

For now, though, William is weak but keeping his spirits up, and looking forward to cheering on his favourite hockey players from the hospital.