Children rally for Colton’s cause

Published 4:00 pm Saturday, February 21, 2004

KINGSTON — Gordon Elementary student Colton Weeks doesn’t have much hair left these days, as the ongoing chemotherapy treatment he gets for leukemia has begun to take its toll.

But looking around his fifth grade class, it becomes apparent that he’s not the only one who sports a bald head.

Since Colton learned of his ailment over winter break, many of his classmates — unbeknownst to Colton’s mother, Lynn, or his teacher, Nancy Mullins — began coming to school, heads shaven without a single hair.

“I have this amazing class — we’re a school family,” Mullins said. “It wasn’t my idea to have them shave their heads — they thought of it all on their own.”

Colton’s classmates say the bald look is a way of support for a friend going through difficult times.

“My whole class started doing it and I wanted to be a part of it,” classmate Deven Rood said. “My goal was to make him feel better.”

“I did it for support,” said classmate Spencer Stokes. “So he doesn’t feel like he’s the only one without any hair.”

Colton said he’s still not sure what to think of the disease that will require three years of treatment.

“I still really don’t know what to make of it,” Colton said of his diagnosis. “It’s just really different.”

At Gordon, students are normally not allowed to wear hats. But school principal Claudia Peetz decided to make an exception for Colton’s fifth grade class and many of the Ms. Mullins’ children — especially those with their new bald do’s — have begun wearing them.

Colton sits at his desk at school, just like he did before winter break, doing his school work and joking with friends. School goes on as if nothing ever happened.

“He has a fantastic attitude,” said Lynn Weeks. “Kids get miracle juice about these things — a spiritual strength,”

“When I think of his wonderful attitude it makes it easier,” Mullins said. “He’s such a positive enthusiastic boy and that influences everyone’s attitude.”

When the bell rings for recess and most of the children run outside to play. Colton, dons his hat and heads outside with his friends to play as well, bubbling along.

Thursday he and his friends spoke of the simple things, like the hair that’s gone for each of them, that have affected Colton’s life.

“It feels like your head can breathe,” Deven said.

“When you go outside, it feels good,” said fifth grader Max Neumann.

“I shaved my head because I thought Colton might need support,” said another of Colton’s classmates Stephen Gorman. “And baseball season’s coming up anyway.”

COPING WITH THE NEWS

When Colton came to his fifth grade teacher after winter break was over, he told her he had to make a decision.

“He said to me, ‘I have a choice of getting fat, being constipated, or losing my hair,” said his Mullins.

Mullins had her students sit in a circle to talk to them about what Colton would be going through and explain to them the potentially fatal disease. Support staff from Marybridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma also came to help break the news.

“To have this happen to one of your students is devastating,” Mullins said. “There were some heavy questions but the kids asked them in a kind and diplomatic way.”

Part of what is making it easier for her class, Mullins said, is Colton’s attitude.

“He’s well loved — and a very cool kid,” she said. “I think that helps when you’re going through this. He’s kept his wonderful sense of humor.

Every weekend, Colton heads to Marybridge for chemotherapy. Lynn Weeks also administers some treatment.

“I don’t like the throwing up but the whole thing is bad,” Colton said. “It kind of stinks.”

“Thinking he has to go through all this pain is awful,” Mullins said. “It’s incredible to think about the struggles he goes through.”

Mullins added that she believes that Colton will fight through the leukemia, after seeing how well he is handling the disease.

“It’s a very serious thing but his prognosis is very high,” she said, speaking of Colton’s 80 percent survival rate. “His body is fighting back very strongly.”

“I just try to think positive and try not to think about the 20 percent,” Colton said.

His mother said that she’s amazed at how much those around her have come to help Colton’s cause.

“It seems like people have crawled out of the woodwork to help us,” she said. “Everyone has offered unbelievable support.”

Colton said he is looking forward to his own “Make a Wish,” through the foundation of that name. He said he has is sights set on Disneyland.

“The flight to Disneyworld is too long,” he said.

For now, Colton’s treatment will continue and his friends will continue to support him through his tough times.

“A lot of people praying for him,” Lynn said. “I picture God up there going, ‘I don’t know who this Colton is, but there sure are a lot of people praying for him.’”