For most of us, new technology means more TV channels or a different way to remind ourselves to attend meetings or pick up bread on the way home. But when it comes to medical diagnosis and treatment, technology saves lives. It is a place where the cliché “your donation can make a difference” holds true meaning.

The following is the story of a young Prince George man, who will live to introduce Stompin’ Tom Connors “The Hockey Song” to unsuspecting youngsters from across the world in the coming year; thanks, in large part, to donations to the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation and its purchase of a state-of-the-art digital Cat Scan for PGRH.

THE DAVID PAROLIN STORY - Spring 2002

By Rachelle Sutherland

Laid back, yet determined. That is how those who know David Parolin could describe him. Active in speed skating, basketball and rink hockey, David was the typical teenager constantly on the go.

In June 1999, David had a seizure. This led to a CAT Scan at PGRH that did not detect any abnormalities. Although still not feeling 100%, David continued with his active lifestyle even making it to provincials with his basketball team the Trojans in the spring of 2000.

In the middle of October 2000 David’s health began to deteriorate.

“Nothing you could put your finger on,” said David’s mom Wendy, “he was just not himself. He was sleeping all the time and had a constant headache.”

A second CAT Scan was scheduled.

Since the time of David’s first CAT Scan, the Medical Imaging Department of PGRH had a significant addition. A new state-of-the-art Quad-speed digital CAT Scan had been installed and was ready for use. This CAT Scan, the first of its kind in Canada, was purchased with close to a million dollars from the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation, and about $600,000 from the provincial government.

The new CAT Scan’s vastly improved technology provided much clearer pictures and expanded capabilities enabling doctors to see the tumor that was growing in David’s brain.

“It was Wednesday night and we were all sitting down for supper when the phone rang,” Wendy remembers. “Dr. Dahlstrom was on the phone and told me that they had found the tumor. My first thought was ‘what do I tell David?’ He was having such a good night getting ready to go to the Cougars game with his father (Bob).”

The next day, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2000, Dr. Daly told David about the tumor. BC’s Children’s Hospital expected him in Vancouver on Saturday and his operation was scheduled for Nov. 17. Once the tumor was removed and several pathology studies were performed, doctors determined David had Hemangioendothelioma, a disease that causes abnormally excessive capillary blood vessel growth.

But David’s headaches persisted and, by Christmas, his health was again deteriorating. By the first week in January, they were back in to see David’s doctor.

“He wasn’t doing well,” Wendy said. “He hugged me all the time and that is just not normal for a teenage boy.” David was scheduled for an MRI and the results showed that the tumor had already grown back to half its original size.

David’s second surgery was planned for March 30, just after Spring Break. That meant David was still able to go on the spring vacation he had planned with his dad to California. They had tickets for the Sweet Sixteen NCAA Basketball Tournament, the quarterfinals for college basketball. Their trip had been planned and eagerly anticipated for almost a year.

David and his father flew back to Vancouver from California, and on March 30 David went in for his second surgery. This time, within a few days of surgery, his headaches were completely gone and for the first time in a many months David “felt good.” Another MRI three months later confirmed their hopes that the ordeal was finally over.  In total, by June 2002, David had been in the MRI nine times (five in Vancouver and four in Prince George) but this was the one that told them what they so desperately wanted to hear.

“We went downstairs so David could call his father and tell him the good news,” Wendy said. “He flopped down in the chair, just like a typical teenager and made the call.”

“Hi Dad, it’s Dave…I’m normal.” --- Every teenager’s goal.

Today, David takes everything in stride. Simple things some people take for granted such as getting a drivers license, David sees as a privilege. The restrictions on his license were just released in August so he is now able to drive his ’81 Supra. What else has changed for David?

“I used to be hard into school sports. Now I am more relaxed and just out there to have a good time. I take everything day by day.”

David’s plans for this his final year of high school include more basketball, rink hockey and working on his car. And, oh yeah, one other thing, he will be leaving Prince George in August for a year as he was chosen to represent our city in the Rotary International Exchange - a goal of his since Grade 8. Not bad for a young man who but one year ago was fighting for his life. Congratulations David, sing it loud and proud:

Hello out there we’re on the air, it’s hockey night tonight.
The whistle blows & the tension grows and the puck goes down the ice.
The goalie jumps and the players bump and the fans all go insane.
Someone roars and Bobby scores at the good old hockey game…