Petawawa, Ont. restaurant raising money to send local family to Boston for cancer treatment

A restaurant in Petawawa, Ont. has started taking donations to help fund a family's trip to Boston, where their 9-year-old son will receive treatment for brain cancer.

Kayden Dussault was diagnosed with a germ cell brain tumour at the end of August, and just finished five months of chemotherapy at CHEO.

"We're onto the next stage of his journey which is the radiation and proton therapy which takes place in Boston, Massachusetts," says Kayden's father Matt Dussault.

"We've seen a lot of articles and the proton therapy in Boston has a very good outcome. There was actually another child from the Gatineau area that had the same cancer as Kayden and went to Boston, and is in recovery now."

The radiation and proton therapy in Boston will be covered by OHIP, at a cost of between $300,000 to $800,000. What won't be covered is the family's expenses to get to and stay in Boston. At a low estimate, Dussault estimates the six to eight week trip will cost the family at least $6,000 in travel, accommodations, food, and incidentals.

"We just want to make sure that the family is taken care of back home and while we're other there as well," Dussault tells CTV News Ottawa. "And not having to worry if Kayden needs something special or if we're going to need something to survive while we're down there."

Upon hearing the news, friend and Petawawa restaurant owner, Mark Clostre, decided he wanted to help the family cover the expenses by collecting donations.

"Our goal is just to get awareness, help out Matt and his family and Kayden, and raise a little bit of money," says Clostre.

Clostre owns Valley Smokehouse, a small takeout restaurant located inside the Ultramar gas station on Petawawa Boulevard. Inside the restaurant, you can find bumper stickers sporting Kayden's nickname "#LittleRavenKayden" and a donation jar filling up with bills.

Valley Smokehouse has also set up a donation tab on their Valley Eats delivery page and an email to send donation transfers to; [e-mail]. And despite the tough times restaurants have been through over the past two years, Clostre has also pledged to give 25 per cent of his total sales to the Dussault family over the next four weeks.

"If I could I'd give 100 per cent, but like you said with all the times that restaurants are going through, luckily we don't have a dine in so we're always takeout," says Clostre.

In the few days since the restaurant has started collecting donations, they've gathered about $2,000.

Kayden hasn't travelled back to Petawawa since his diagnosis in August, and has since been living in Gatineau with his mother. It's been tough on Dussault and his family, but he is optimistic that once the family gets to Boston, Kayden will come back cancer free.

"Just being a small community and seeing the love and support that is happening, I truly can't find the words to say," says Dussault. "I can say thank you a thousand times."

"Petawawa is the best community that anyone could ever live in," adds Clostre. "The amount of support here and help you get is just out of this world."