THUNDER BAY – When he was six years old, Connor McKinnon was diagnosed with cancer.
Since then, he’s never taken no for an answer.
The youngster spent 52 weeks in chemotherapy and endured 54 days of radiation treatments.
Later this month he’ll graduate from St. Patrick High School, and this coming fall he plans to attend Lakehead University to start a four-year nursing program, his long-term goal to attend medical school to become a pediatrician to help children.
Earlier this week the 17-year-old learned he won’t have to worry about the costs of his undergraduate degree, named one of 22 Terry Fox Humanitarian Scholarship winners, for his dedication to a number of local children's causes, including Camp Quality.
It was pretty surprising to get the call, he said.
“I was honestly just speechless. I didn’t assume that I was getting a call because I thought most of the award recipients had already been given their awards,” he said.
“I was just so honoured.”
McKinnon was quick to say he doesn’t necessarily consider himself a humanitarian, certainly nowhere in the class of Fox, whose legacy still lives on, nearly four decades after his Marathon of Hope ended east of Thunder Bay.
Fox, who died in 1981, has inspired worldwide fundraising estimated at more than $750 million.
McKinnon said it’s that kind of inspiration that has guided him on how to live his daily life – always thinking of others first.
“I’ve done countless research for kids with cancer at Sick Kids in Toronto. I volunteer at Camp Quality. I go to Camp Quality as a delegate. I’ve been going there for 12 years, almost,” said the teen, who spent three years in Toronto fighting the disease.
“I like to give back to my community by volunteering for certain things.”
McKinnon is on the executive of the NWOSSA leadership council, where he helps manage the groups annual conference.
He credited his family for giving him the strength to succeed.
“Without them I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere in life. They’re my rock and they just keep pushing and pushing and pushing to help me out.”
