Army of volunteers raising funds for Saultite battling leukemia

A small army of willing volunteers is pitching in to offset living expenses for Sault Ste. Marie’s Dakota Mathieu, who has been receiving treatment for leukemia in southern Ontario since she was diagnosed with the disease earlier this year.   

Staff at The Machine Shop will be preparing and selling take-home pasta dinners for two Dec. 14 in an effort to help Mathieu with hotel expenses and living costs that's been dubbed Dakota's Army Fundraiser. 

Giselle Mathieu, who works in the kitchen at The Machine Shop, says her 21-year-old niece was flown from the Sault to London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ont. in late August after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer which starts in the blood stem cells. 

“Unfortunately, she’s only compatible with one registered donor worldwide at this point. She has to go into remission before they even consider the stem cell transplant,” said Giselle, speaking with SooToday Tuesday. “It’s really unknown — we don’t know when this will be all over.”

Mathieu’s aunt is encouraging the public to go to the Canadian Blood Services website and start the process of becoming a potential stem cell donor.

“There’s so many other people being impacted by this as well,” Giselle said. 

These days, Mathieu spends most of her time at the hospital on an outpatient basis, living at a hotel with family members who take turns staying with her in London. 

“My sister and my Mom are taking turns, taking leaves of absence from work - two months off and on at this point,” said Giselle. “My sister spent the first two months down there with her, and now my mother is down there with her for two months.”

Giselle says that her mother is currently paying for hotel accommodations and other living expenses out of her own pocket.   

“We just play it day by day, and that’s what I said to Dakota when she was first diagnosed. We didn't know what was going on, and I said, ‘you know, you got your army’ — and that’s why we called it Dakota’s Army Fundraiser,” Giselle said.

The upcoming takeout dinner for two being held by The Machine Shop includes pasta, meatballs, salad and bread for $40. Orders can be placed by calling 705-759-9090 or by messaging Giselle directly through social media. Orders can be picked up at The Machine Shop Dec. 14 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Monetary donations are also being accepted by way of e-transfer at DakotasArmy@outlook.com. 

Giselle says co-workers, ownership and management at The Machine Shop have all been “incredibly supportive” of her and her family.   

“A lot of the staff are volunteering their time to be able to put this on, and The Machine Shop is helping me host it. It’s just been really overwhelming,” she said with emotion in her voice. “It’s just really overwhelming that people care that much, you know?”