A Saanich kid is honing his hilarity and raising awareness of a key Victoria-based childhood charity with two initiatives that aim to bring people together.
Eamonn Millar is no stranger to adversity and the need for humour. He’s currently crafting a joke book born from his community support during his journey with leukemia, which started just before his 10th birthday.
In spring 2024, Eamonn got sick during a hockey tournament. A subsequent doctor’s visit earned a virus diagnosis, but it didn’t sit well with mom Jen. When fever hit, she knew it needed a second look.
An ambassador for Outway Socks, she was out working on a photo shoot in Beacon Hill Park, and arrived distracted, wanting to get it done and home to her son. Once she did, she looked at her husband Trevor and said “I’m taking him to emerge.”
About 12 hours and several lab results later, a doctor admitted Eamonn and sent the family to BC Children’s Hospital. All signs were pointing to cancer, but Easter weekend meant waiting until the following Tuesday for a bone marrow biopsy – 25 minutes later leukemia was confirmed, mom recalls.
“It was life changing,” Jen said.
Oncology life began.
So Eamonn found a second focus. The then fourth-grader suggested Outway, who he and sister Charlie had also done some modelling for, should have a kids' competition to design socks.
“He loves to draw, it’s something he does to distract – and there were some really awful days – but drawing for him is a way that he spends his time when in hospital and can’t be playing hockey or lacrosse or doing his outdoorsy things,” Jen said.
He created a sock design deemed Kids Dreams Gone Wild covered in all those favourite things he couldn’t do – mountains, hockey sticks, soccer balls and more.
Outway secretly developed the product and by summer there was a 3D version, released by the end of 2024, and a fundraiser for Island Kids Cancer Association.
It raised nearly $20,000 for the Victoria-based charity that helps families facing cancer diagnoses across Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
As importantly, people learned of the association that helps with funding, connection, counselling and more that families not facing similar trials might not even understand.
While Eamonn is now at Royal Oak Middle School, on his first day of Grade 6 two new classmates he’d never met were wearing the socks. His hockey team, and others in the Admirals hockey club have them—ditto for the Saanich Tigers lacrosse and the entire Surrey Avalance hockey team.
The socks spread far and wide, connecting communities.
Up to then, he’d seen other oncology kiddos wearing them for treatment days; and spotted them on the adults administering those treatments. It provided connection within clinical confines, but suddenly he saw the reach outside those walls.
“The awareness and connections, it’s just so remarkable and so heartfelt,” Jen said. “My hope is that this second sock can do the same thing and just grow that even more.”
Outway doubled down with a second sock.
Departing from his previous theme, Eamonn came through with something magical – an adventurous axolotl in a snorkel exploring the deep.
“He just wants to bring a little bit of magic and a little bit of happiness to people’s lives,” Jen said. “It’s so fun and so whimsical and so different than his first design. We’re hoping ideally we can match what the first fundraiser did.”
The Millar family likely didn’t even realize the impact Island Kids Cancer Association might have when it was selected the charity of choice. The organization offers practical aid and financial support for health and wellness for those who might need it.
Their family is enjoying the fun initiatives that bring the oncology community together, from Pacific Football Club games on the West Shore to Royals hockey nights in Victoria.
“They create these events of connection for families throughout the year. I’m just so grateful for them,” Jen said. “I didn’t even really know much about Island Kids, but I knew that it existed, I knew it was a smaller not-for-profit and I knew it was the right thing to support.”
With the second set of socks out spreading their joy, his part largely out of his hands now, Eamonn’s moved on to building an illustrated anthology of jokes.
Titled Laughter is the Best Medicine, the book boils down to one heckuva teacher (and her dog), classroom hijinks and consistent connection with his peers at Cordova Bay Elementary.
“Mrs. Mill is a gift to the world,” Jen said.
When Eamonn got sick and didn’t return after spring break 2024, her class started a showcase. Every day, two kids got up and recorded a joke to send to Eamon. It was a public speaking exercise for the class, and crucial connection for the kid across the water enduring treatment.
“It kept him connected to the class,” Jen said.
Monday to Friday he’d get a video. It became a piece of the puzzle of his day. He’d tell a nurse, or another “oncology kid” spreading the love. Jen was inspired to write them all down.
The teacher didn’t miss a day. When she was out sick, she enlisted her dog for the video.
Then it was summer vacation.
The daily joke stopped. Eamonn felt the gap deeply. Once again, community came through, and a friend’s mom organized a rotating schedule, one joke a day started arriving again. Then school returned and so did the classroom days of the week, with friends sending one a day.
“We have literally a year and a half of jokes,” Jen said.
The connection those jokes created hold a special place in his heart. Now, Eamonn is illustrating the pages and plans to self-publish – unless a house comes calling.
The goal is to offer copies to the oncology department and the pediatric oncology at Victoria General Hospital, as well as similar departments at BC Children’s.
After all, Laughter is the Best Medicine.
“This book is a collaboration of friendship really,” Jen said. “He loves the project and he’s a kid that just loves to give back. I’m super proud of him.”
Along the way, the Millars have become hearty advocates for research and improvement to treatment options. Chemo is harsh, designed for adults, and not seen a lot of advancement, especially relative to other treatment areas.
Diagnosed April 2, 2024, Eamonn’s had some dark scary days since. He endured five intense blocks of chemotherapy, each nearly three months long; two blocks of 30-day immunotherapy; IV chemo, steroids and more. In June this year, Eamonn officially achieved maintenance – which includes 18 more months of daily, oral chemo and a lumbar puncture every couple months.
“He’s a warrior and we’re committed to finding a little bit of magic and something to laugh about every single day,” Jen said.
The young Saanich designer has several pair of his own socks, rarely wearing any others.
Find them online at outway.com. Visit ikca.ca for more about the charity.
