Nine-year-old Easton Harris of Arnprior, Ont. is one strong kid.
In September 2021, Easton was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, which is a bone marrow failure. It means his body is not making its own blood.
On Aug. 16, Easton and his mother Amanda will be heading to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto for a bone marrow transplant - a stay that will last three months.
"And while we're there we decided that Easton could sell some stickers in the hopes of getting some money so he can have some new toys while we're in the bed at the hospital," Amanda Harris told CTV News Ottawa.
Easton created his #EastonStrong stickers. The hashtag represents Easton's battle with aplastic anemia, and the 70 transfusions and multiple surgeries he has gone through since his diagnosis.
The family is selling them for $10 each. They can be purchased by contacting Easton.Harris719@gmail.com or by visiting Lincoln Mae Interiors in Arnprior.
"I'm not working right now for obvious reasons," said Harris, referencing the care she has been giving her son.
"So things are a little tight but we're hoping to make it easier for him and forget about his diagnosis while we're there."
The funds will partly be used for travel and accommodations while in Toronto. But the two will not be able to leave the hospital following the transplant, so Easton has his own plans for his sticker money.
"So pretty much just (buy) some new toys," the 9-year-old said. "Transformers, Lego, I'm into Minecraft Legos."
"I can't imagine what they're going through," says Lincoln Mae Interiors owner Kristen Cooper. "I know it's probably hard and hard with expenses and travelling to Toronto so I just wanted to do what I could."
Cooper has been friends with the family since she opened her downtown store in October, and recently helped the Harris family get the stickers printed.
"It's overwhelming, actually, to be quite honest," Harris says of the response after just a few days of selling. "Everyone is just so nice and so generous, and just sending emails of words of wisdom and everyone is there for us for support. So it's just fantastic."
In just a few days, they've managed to sell close to 50 stickers.
But Easton wants to build on his momentum.
"He wants to go to LegoLand," says Harris, "so once he's better we're hoping to take a trip to LegoLand."
