Leukemia fighter Brody Chapman of Eckville meets TV star Dog the Bounty Hunter, a.k.a. Duane Chapman (no relation), in Hawaii. Brody, founder of the Scrapping With Cancer program, shared the overseas trip with 23 other kids through the Make a Wish Foundation.
Leukemia fighter Brody Chapman of Eckville meets TV star Dog the Bounty Hunter, a.k.a. Duane Chapman (no relation), in Hawaii. Brody, founder of the Scrapping With Cancer program, shared the overseas trip with 23 other kids through the Make a Wish Foundation. (Supplied photo)
When little Brody Chapman recently stood in front of his brawny, long-haired idol in Hawaii, it was more than a wish come true. It was also a victory of sorts.
Last summer, Chapman’s family wasn’t sure Brody was going to make it to the fall. The 12-year-old Eckville boy had been battling leukemia since spring. He had made a wish through the Make A Wish foundation to meet reality TV star Duane Chapman (no relation), better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, but his mother wasn’t sure it would work out.
“We asked him a couple of times to change his wish,” Carmen Chapman remembered. “But that was his wish, he was going to do it.”
His determination paid off. Brody and his mother finally set off to Hawaii to meet Dog June 13. But instead of just basking in the rays of sun and stardom, Brody decided to bring some business along. As founder of the Scrapping With Cancer program, which gives kids battling cancer a scrapbooking kit to document their journey free of charge, he decided it was a good opportunity to help kids beyond Alberta.
“He ended up sharing his wish with 23 other children,” Carmen said.
Brody delivered the kits to Kapi’lani Medical Center for Women & Children before meeting Dog. At first the patients and their families were skeptical, but once they realized it was a gift to help them along their road to recovery, they were grateful, Carmen explained.
“When we got to the hospital, he felt like he was Santa Claus,” she added.
The next day they set off to meet Dog. The visit was originally scheduled for half an hour, but they wound up hanging out for nearly an hour and a half. The visit surpassed both their expectations, Carmen said. Two of Dog’s children and his grandson were also there.
