A 10-year-old Edmonton girl who is dying from brain cancer has checked another item off her bucket list. Wednesday afternoon, Rheanna Trepanier got to ride in a tank with Lord Strathcona’s Horse.
The story about how Rheanna got here is a terrifying one for any parent.
Rheanna was diagnosed with four brain tumours on Oct. 31. Her mom picked her up from school and the nine-year-old was vomiting and her eyes were rolling back in her head. She was rushed to the Stollery Children’s Hospital, where she underwent immediate surgery to relieve pressure on her brain.
On Nov. 7, the neurosurgeon performed a lengthy operation to remove the main and largest tumour on her right temporal lobe.
They were unable to remove it as it was about the size of a golf ball and the doctor described it as an “octopus with angry tentacles” protruding into delicate areas of her brain.
On Nov. 21, Rheanna turned 10-years-old. The day that should have been a celebration was a terrifying one for the family. They spent several hours in the Stollery, waiting for the results of Rheanna’s pathology and biopsy.
The news was devastating. Rheanna has two different types of brain tumours: anapaestic oligodendroglioma (Grade III) and glioblastoma (Grade IV).
READ MORE: 10-year-old Edmonton girl with 4 brain tumours chasing bucket list before Christmas
The World Health Organization classifies most brain tumours on a scale from Grade I, (slow growing, usually associated with long-term survival) to Grade IV (abnormal cells that reproduce rapidly, difficult to treat.)
According to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, glioblastomas are the most common and most aggressive type of malignant (cancerous) brain tumour, and are difficult to treat because the cells are very resistant to conventional therapies like chemo. Oligodendrogliomas are not as aggressive as glioblastomas, but have a very high rate of recurrence and gradually increase in grade over time. They only have two grades: Grade II and Grade III.
Unfortunately the tumours have occupied the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, the thalamus, the frontal lobes, the temporal lobes, the pons, and the medulla.
This means the happy girl is walking a fine line between being her regular self, and how quickly things can change in a moment. The family was told their girl only has months to live.
On Dec. 5, she began six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatment to try and give her as much time with her family as possible.
READ MORE: Global Edmonton gets a visit from 10-year-old with terminal brain cancer
That’s when Rheanna started her bucket list.
Which brings us to the tank.
630 CHED’s J’Lyn Nye was directed to a Facebook page the family created about Rheanna’s diagnosis and bucket list journey. Number 21 on the list: the desire to drive a tank. As Honorary Colonel, 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, the wheels in Nye’s head started turning.
She reached out to Brig.-Gen. Simon Hetherington of 3rd Canadian Division, Col. Bill Fletcher, Commanding Officer of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and Colonel Stephen Lacroix, Commanding Officer, 3rd Canadian Division Support Group, to ask if this was something they could make happen.
READ MORE: Edmonton girl fighting terminal brain cancer checking off bucket list items
Within five minutes, she had an email back from Brig.-Gen. Hetherington.
“You have my absolute and enthusiastic support to make this happen,” he wrote.
With permission from the man in charge of the Canadian Forces from Thunder Bay to the west coast, the local teams started working.
Lt.-Col. Mark Lubiniecki is the Commanding Officer for the Strathcona’s. He was on board with working to make one of this girl’s dreams come true.
“I am confident we can make item 21 on the list be re-evaluated to the top five experience,” he wrote.
Less than 24 hours later, the Strathcona’s had a full itinerary for Rheanna and her family to enjoy.
The day started with a ride in a Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) for Rheanna, her mom, brother and sister, and aunt and grandma.
They were taken to a training centre where Rheanna got to see different weapons the soldiers use, as well as simulators for the tanks she so desperately wanted to sit in.
After about 45 minutes of playing with the equipment that had been put out for her, it was time for the main event. A giant smile spread across Rheanna’s face as she heard the tanks rumble to life.
The family was taken outside, where three Leopard 2 tanks were waiting for them. Rheanna got to ride in the front tank, the rest of her family followed behind.
As she climbed up she was shown around the different parts of the tank. Then it was off. While she thought she was just going for a ride, the soldiers had another surprise in order.
They had found out Rheanna is a horse lover. The Strathcona’s have a mounted troop as well, and about 20 riders and horses spent 15 minutes giving a private performance for the family.
After that was over there was one more surprise for the 10-year-old. After taking photos with the soldiers and mounted troop, Lt.-Col. Lubiniecki presented Rheanna with a photo that proclaimed she had been made a honorary soldier of Lord Strathcona’s Horse, and a small handmade tank that named her bazooka troop leader.
The family then piled back into their tanks for one final ride.
Rheanna is not a girl of many words, but at the end of her adventure she told 630 CHED the experience was one she’ll never forget, and that it helped her forget what she’s going through; if only for a little while.
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