Young patient gets up close to his Idol

Young patient gets up close to his Idol
Erika Engel
Special to The Hamilton Spectator
(Mar 31, 2008)

Ronald McDonald is lovin' it. Brian Melo is Livin' It. Avery Lachapelle got to do both.

The eight-year-old cancer patient got to go backstage and meet with Melo, Canadian Idol winner and Hamilton native, before his March 15 concert at Hamilton Place.

"It was really cool for him. It was his first concert," said Brian Lachapelle, Avery's father. "They (the band) were a good group of young fellas."

Melo and his band spent 15 minutes chatting with Avery about the concert and Avery's favourite song.

"We kept it really light. I didn't want to get too serious," Melo said. "I just wanted him to have fun with the band.

"I wish we were able to spend a bit more time together."

Avery and his parents, Lachapelle and Tricia Daly, have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton since December while he undergoes treatment for leukemia. The family lives in Lindsay.

Originally diagnosed with cancer when he was 14 months old, Avery has relapsed twice since then and received a bone-marrow transplant in 2004.

Avery was set to see Brian Melo on March 8, but the concert was cancelled when a crippling snow storm shut down the city.

He thought he would miss the show because the rescheduled date was too close to his chemotherapy treatments.

The Ronald McDonald house manager, Patti Majcher, contacted Melo's agent, Jim Campbell, hoping to curb Avery's disappointment. After many back-and-forth conversations, they arranged a pre-show meeting.

Why did she do it?

"Oh, you haven't met Avery," Majcher said, her smile audible through the phone.

"I just think that anything we can do to make good days more special, we would certainly like to do.

"These kids have so many obstacles all day long. Being the lucky one every once in a while is such a bonus."

Melo has been an avid supporter of Ronald McDonald House since he visited the London location while filming Canadian Idol. He later visited the Hamilton house and met several of the children staying there.

"It's very inspiring for me -- going into these situations and seeing what these kids are going through," he said.

"It makes me count my blessings when I see how strong these kids can be."

Melo said he gets a lot of e-mails and phone calls asking him to visit a fan in the hospital, and he tries to see as many as he can find time for.

"I knew that if I was ever in the position that I'm in now, I would always try to give back as much as I could," he said. "If I can bring a little bit of light to their day, then I've done my job."

Pearl Wolfe, executive director of Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton, said she's happy they were able to help Avery meet Melo.

"It happened because our house manager relentlessly pursued it. It's so gratifying to be able to do something to help."

The Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton opened in 1993. It is a 15-room facility that provides families of seriously ill children with a place to stay while their child receives care at the McMaster Children's Hospital.

The nonprofit organization offers rooms for $10 a night a short distance from the hospital. The Hamilton house is located at 1510 Main St. W.

There are 12 houses in Canada, four in Ontario. They rely on corporate and individual sponsors for funding.

Lachapelle and Daly are grateful to the Ronald McDonald House for the support they've received during Avery's treatment.

"I feel like they take care of needs that we don't even know we have," Lachapelle said.

"They'll do anything for the families here."

Avery and his parents plan to stay at the Hamilton house until April, when Avery is scheduled to have another bone marrow transplant at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Melo said Avery is one kid he won't forget.

"He had this spark in his eye and a great smile. He'll always be in my heart."

During the concert, Melo dedicated Avery's favourite song, All I Ever Wanted, to Avery and his cousin.