James Birrell was a happy and busy eight year old, and seemed like a normal kid. He went to school, rode his bike, had lots of friends, attended Sunday School and loved trains. He liked building model airplanes and making crafts, and enjoyed family trips to the cottage with his brother and sister. He was quite co-operative, but sometimes he delighted in making ugly faces at the camera and used his hand to make rude noises under his armpit.

On the surface, James was a very typical eight year old. But what made James not so typical was that he had terminal cancer. It's called neuroblastoma and it is a cancer of the central nervous system. James had been through many surgeries, cardiac arrest, endless chemotherapy, radiation, bone marrow transplant, CT scans, MRI's, two Phase One Clinical Trials, many MIBG's, and of course countless needles and pokes. He had been on morphine many times in an attempt to control excruciating pain, and had lost his hair four times. He could pronounce, and understood, the names and consequences of each of his treatments and, when in the hospital, carefully scrutinized every medical intervention.

The other reason that James was not so typical is that he was surviving the neuroblastoma onslaught.

Battling cancer with courage and determination, James had developed into an incredible person. He was careful about sharing his deepest thoughts, but in his most intimate moments had spoken with his Mom, a fellow cancer survivor, about having cancer, the incredible pain, his thoughts about dying, and about a house that Jesus is building him in heaven.

James had an amazing way of relating to people. But then he has packed more living into seven years than many of us do into a lifetime. The reflections he shared and the questions he asked, make you realize James was a child who had already completed more spiritual growth than many adults have dreamed of. James loved to talk to people and would talk to any adult without any shyness. And that's a good thing. Because James had spoken with Mr. Dressup, Fred Penner, Tom Hanks, Chris Hadfield the astronaut, the Kratt brothers from the TV show Zoboomafoo, and had managed to keep each of them captivated with his conversation.

In times of good health James had visited cancer patients in hospital, his sparkling spirit inspiring them with hope. During 14 months of remission, James' parents asked him what he would like to do to give back to all the people who had rallied around to help him. He decided that the kindergarten children at his primary school needed a playground and he would like to build them one. When his Dad asked how he would go about that, James giggled and said, "I would need lots of help from adults". So James and his Dad drew a plan of the playground, and made a list of all the help they would need. James put on his suit and tie and sold his dream to architects, excavators, business owners, and community organizations. Within a matter of days James had raised thousands of dollars, and the playground was built.

Our hope is that through this web site, and through his book "Ya Can't Let Cancer Ruin Your Day", people will get to know James and through his story learn what it is like to live with cancer. Cancer can bring unbelievable pain and can devastate a family. But it also brings the opportunity for rich experiences and profound personal growth. It is our hope that by hearing James' story, you will be inspired to join those who are committed to making a positive difference to this world, a difference in the way you spend time with your family, a difference in the way you perceive life, and a difference in your willingness to help others.

We also hope that James' story will inspire you to help all children who fight this merciless disease. Years ago the mortality rate for childhood leukemia was 85%, but after throwing a lot of money into research, leukemia now has an 85% survival rate. Only by raising both awareness and funds, will it be possible to offer children with neuroblastoma the same hope for survival.

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