CHARITY GALA TO HONOUR CARLISLE'S JONATHAN BROWN

The inaugural Jonny's Gold Ribbon Gala in memory of Carlisle's Jonathan Brown and supporting the McMaster Children's Hospital Foundation, will be held Oct. 15.

Known to everyone as Jonny, Brown was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer in 2019 at the age of 17. The gala, which will take place at the Hamilton Convention Centre, will mark the one-year anniversary of his death at the age of 19.

Organized by his parents Claudia and Allan Brown and a group of volunteers, the evening will feature cocktails, appetizers, classical music, a silent and live auction, a gourmet meal and several captivating performances.

Claudia said they hope to bring together more than 300 members of Hamilton's benevolent community and raise more than $100,000 for the expansion and renovation of the McMaster Children's Hospital Pediatric Oncology Clinic - which provided "such phenomenal care" to Jonny during his battle and treated him like family.

"We just wanted to give back," she said, adding they wanted to turn the date of his passing from a negative to something positive. "It's also an opportunity to celebrate our son."

Claudia said they want the gala to be a community event, as the family has lived in Carlisle for 22 years and their kids went to Waterdown District High School, while Jonny played for the Flamborough Sabres his whole hockey career.

"This community really has helped us through it," she said of Jonny's cancer battle.

His parents described Jonny as loyal, loving, laid-back and easygoing and someone who loved to have fun with his friends — be it playing hockey, basketball, ultimate Frisbee, spikeball and video games or watching his favourite NHL teams. However, he was also quietly intelligent, determined and strong-minded, as evidenced by completing Grade 12 and being accepted to the University of Waterloo for honours math, despite enduring gruelling chemotherapy and surgery.

The first sign of the cancer came in Feb. 2019 when Jonny complained of pain in his leg after falling while playing in the garage. When it didn't clear up, he had x-rays, which showed nothing. An MRI found a large tumour on Jonny's femur at the hip and he began chemotherapy immediately, completing five rounds before undergoing a femur resection to remove the cancer and a partial hip replacement, followed by another nine rounds of chemotherapy.

At that point, Jonny was essentially cancer-free. However, the pain returned following his three-month checkup and in November 2020 doctors found the cancer had returned — and

spread.

Only three per cent of Ewing's sarcoma patients who have a recurrence and metastasis survive, but through it all, Jonny remained positive.

"He was convinced he was just going to go through chemo again and he would be better," Claudia said. "He never gave up hope until the last couple of weeks before he passed away and they had to tell him — 'There's nothing more we can do.'"

Jonny passed away Oct. 15, 2021 at McMaster surrounded by his family. He is survived by his parents, his siblings Rachel and Michael, his grandmother Theresa, his devoted puppy Cleo, as well as other family members and friends.

While this year is the first Jonny's Gold Ribbon Gala, the family hopes to make it an annual event and one that reshapes the day from one of sadness to one of hope, celebration and purpose.

"We hope it's a really successful event and everyone has a great time," Allan said.

Doors open for the 18-plus event at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m. and tickets are $150. For more information or to buy tickets, visit hamiltonhealth.ca/jonny.