"He wishes he could be here with his children forever"

Father’s Day can be a bittersweet day for many families who have experienced heartache and difficulties.

David Gangadeen, a terminally ill husband and father, will be spending this Father’s Day surrounded by his loving wife and three young children.

“I know he wishes he could be here with his children forever,” said Jaime in a phone interview this week.

David was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) in April 1 last year. It is a rare form of brain cancer, most commonly seen in children between the ages of 5 and 7.

Doctors told David and Jaime that they could not operate on the tumour, located in the brain stem, but would do everything to keep the tumour from growing.

David is 32-years-old, and has been living in Guelph with his family since 2012. David is not only a husband and father, but also a great influence on his younger brother Chris.

“We came from a broken home, my mom raised us by herself,” said Chris Gangadeen, who says he has always looked up to David, who was only two years older.

The brothers grew up in Barrie, Ontario, and spent their childhood camping, taking trips to the United States, and participating in Scouts Canada.

“He was in Scouts for eight years, until he was sixteen,” said Chris, adding that despite their closeness in age, David was always his role model, like a father figure helping guide him onto a better path. “He was always doing the right thing. Eventually, I wanted what he had,” said Chris.

In many ways, Chris has followed closely behind David, getting married, having children, and starting a career. “He has always provided for his family and has been there for us,” added Shweta Gangadeen, Chris’ wife.

David and Jaime Gangadeen

Jaime and David Gangadeen met thirteen years ago, while they were both working at Wings Up! in Milton. At the time David drove a sports car, and let Jaime borrow it for a girls’ weekend away. They started spending more time together and became a couple soon after.

“He was a sweet guy, always so nice. We just kind of clicked after that,” said Jaime.

On June 14, 2008 the couple married in Toronto, and recently celebrated their eight year anniversary. The couple now have three children, Ryder (6), Aryanna (3) and Taryn (7 months). They were a typical young family. David coached Ryder’s soccer team, he played ultimate Frisbee, and worked at The Cooperators as an IT Manager.

“It turned our lives upside down,” said Jaime, of David’s diagnosis. At the time, they were expecting their third child, and almost immediately David took a leave from his job. “We were trying to figure out what our new normal was.”

Within the first month David went through 30 treatments of chemotherapy and radiation, driving to Hamilton each day. Once treatments were done life settled for the young family, and they spent the summer making as many memories as possible.

“The kids enjoyed seeing him every day,” said Jaime, who said the family wanted to have as much time together as they could

For the most part, David spent a year showing little signs of his illness. But by May of this year, David’s health started to change for the worse. Jaime knew something was wrong when he was having difficulty swallowing and was unable to balance himself.

After taking David to Guelph General Hospital, the family learned that there was swelling around the tumour, and a new tumour had developed. After a two week stay in hospital, David is now home with his family, but needs a lot of assistance throughout the day. Next week he will be completing another 18 rounds of radiation.

When asked what she thinks people should know about David, Jaime had no hesitation. “That he is a wonderful husband, and an amazing father. He puts everyone else first.”

Jaime believes that anyone going through a difficult situation should live each moment as best as they can and take one day at a time.

Chris said he has learned much because of his brother's illness. He’s learned to appreciate every moment and to never take anything for granted, especially not his big brother, a role model that he’ll always look up to.

Shweta had nothing but positive things to say when asked about her brother-in-law.

“He’s a very patient man. He’s a soft-hearted person. He’s a selfless person. That’s the best way to describe him: selfless.”

“We all need a big brother,
And there is but no other,
To take your place in my life.
I will always be there for your wife,
And the children too.
I will always be there for them,
Help guide them through.
You've always been my idol
And I'll never forget the memories
You taught me many things,
Many things I didn't know
But forgot one last thing.
You forgot to teach me, how to let you go.”

(Poem by Shweta Gangadeen, David’s sister-in-law)