Volunteers build playset for boy fighting cancer
May 15—HIGH POINT — AHigh Point youngster battling kidney cancer received an unexpected birthday gift earlier this month — the gift of play.
Luca Teoli officially celebrates his second birthday today, but the celebrating began two weeks ago when the nonprofit Roc Solid Foundation — with a major assist from a team of volunteers from Mickey Truck Bodies — surprised Luca with a custom playset they built in his backyard in a single morning.
"We would never have been able to afford this playset," said Jamie Teoli, Luca's mother. "We dreamed about having one. For our dreams to come true means the world."
In only two weeks, the playset has brought unlimited joy to the Teoli family — parents Thomas and Jamie, 5-year-old Leo and 2-year-old Luca — in the midst of what has been a difficult time. Six months ago, doctors found a Wilms tumor on Luca's right kidney, a diagnosis that led to the surgical removal of the kidney, followed by chemotherapy. He goes this week for a scan to see if he is now cancer-free.
In the meantime, though, the new playset has been a blessing for Luca and his family.
"The boys have been out here playing a lot since the build," Jamie said. "They love to get out here and play. Luca can't really go out in public while he's getting chemo, so it's really helped us since he can't go to parks and playgrounds."
Jamie learned about the Roc Solid Foundation on Dec. 1, when Luca had his kidney removed at Brenner Children's Hospital in Winston-Salem. The organization provides "Ready Bags" — gift bags packed with toiletries, a blanket and other useful items — for families of children with cancer who are hospitalized.
"I started crying when I got the bag, because it really just touched my heart," Jamie recalled. "I looked up the organization and called to thank them, and they said, 'We also build playsets for children — would you like one?' "
The answer was yes, and the build was eventually scheduled for May 1, with Mickey Truck Bodies signed on to help with the build.
"Roc Solid tries to match playset recipients with companies in the area that can help the build," explained Heather Hankins, Mickey's human resources manager. "They reached out to Mickey when they had a High Point recipient and presented us with the opportunity to pitch in. Mickey has a standing tradition of supporting its local communities, and this was another way we were able to contribute."
Nineteen volunteers from Mickey helped build and install the playset, which includes a clubhouse area, swings, a sliding board, a climbing wall, a sandbox and a mulch play surface for a soft landing should anyone fall while playing. It took the volunteers about four hours to install the playset, with a team from Roc Solid leading them.
Meanwhile, Thomas and Jamie kept the boys busy in the house, where they couldn't see the surprise that was taking shape in their backyard.
"When it was ready, we blindfolded the boys and brought them out," Jamie said. "We took the blindfolds off, and they were so surprised and excited — they just started running to the playset."
The volunteers from Mickey also brought birthday presents for Luca, making the day extra-special. One of the volunteers even mowed the family's front lawn while he was there.
"It was just an amazing day," Jamie said. "They told us, 'You're going to see what hope looks like,' and we sure did. When you're going through something so hard and challenging, it really touches your heart to have people who care come around you and do something so generous."
jtomlin@hpenews.com — 336-888-3579
