ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Doug Gillette, left, thanks Stephen Oakley, right, for taking one of the 350 fliers he is handing out for his fundraiser on June 17.
BY DILLON DURST
LYNN – Doug Gillette woke up paralyzed from the neck down one morning in 2006.
The 32-year-old Lynn native was diagnosed with spinal cancer. Doctors gave him a 20 percent chance to survive the surgery to remove a benign tumor on his spinal cord.
“I had some little complications and back pain, and that turned into being paralyzed,” Gillette said.
He is the only survivor in the U.S. to have had the cancer spread throughout his spine, he added.
While the cancer’s gone and he’s in remission, multiple surgeries have caused Gillette to lose mobility in his left arm and right hand. He’s mobile with a power wheelchair. But he wants to buy a handicap-accessible van that would allow him to be more independent, and see his 10-year-old daughter, Arianna. On his GoFundMe page, Gillette has set a goal of $50,000 to cover the cost of the vehicle.
He has spent the last few days outside of his Willow Street apartment handing out fliers for his June 17 fundraiser, and said he plans to do so daily until the event.
As of Thursday morning, he had distributed more than 250 fliers in 48 hours.
“I just want people to know that having a positive attitude goes a long way,” he said.
Leslie Gould, president of the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce (LACC), said the nonprofit is supporting the event on Facebook.
“It’s a wonderful community event, and the LACC should and does support fundraisers like this that help our residents,” she wrote in an e-mail.
Gillette, a Lynn English High graduate and standout basketball player for the Bulldogs, obtained a hand-control license, which allows him to drive an adaptable vehicle using just his hands.
The license is available to people with medical disabilities who have been medically cleared to drive.
Gillette hopes the fundraiser’s proceeds help him buy a van that’s hand-control accommodating.
“I just want to get this out to people,” said Gillette, who will be 10 years cancer free tomorrow. “As long as you keep fighting the fight, good things will happen.”
The fundraiser will be held at Lynn Arts on Exchange Street from 6-11 p.m. There will be live entertainment, food and a cash bar.
To be a sponsor for the event, call 781-592-1150.
Dillon Durst can be reached at [email protected].
