Soap Box Derby Race
James and the Soap Box Derby
September 8, 2001
On September 8th, 2001, the Birrell family will reach another landmark occasion. For several years they have been watching the annual Soap Box Derby, held on a steep hill in Peterborough. Children race down the hill two at a time in true soap box derby tradition, in home-made wooden boxes colourfully painted, with wheels, steering, and “yes” to all those horrified mothers, brakes! Through a slow process of elimination a winner is eventually declared. The entire Birrell family enjoys this event, but James has been especially captivated by the excitement of this event. It became a goal of James that some day he race in the Derby.
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At a particularly difficult time earlier this spring, when it looked as if James had very little time left to live, he was visited in hospital by a medical worker whose husband, also named James, was an aeronautical engineer and whose children had raced in the Peterborough Soap Box Derby. Later after his release from hospital Big James phoned and asked if he could come and visit Little James. And so a week later the two met, James very ill, nauseated and weak, the cancer devastating his small body. In between bouts of vomiting, Big James showed Little James his son’s racer and offered to work with James on building one for this year’s race in September. He explained that the first step was to choose a design to model the racer on. True to his love of trains, James chose to replicate the design of the TGV train. Train Grande Vitesse is the very fast train of the French National Railway system, which races commuters across the country at 186 miles per hour. “It’s the fastest train in the world, Dad!”
But it was still May, and the race was not till September. At the next visit to Sick Kids Hospital to meet with his oncologist Dr. Baruchel, many hard issues were discussed involving the palliative care options available for James. Surely James had not long to live. But then the subject of the Soap Box Derby came up, and far from ruling out the idea, Dr. Baruchel talked about the importance of setting personal goals, of children who amazed those around them by setting their sights on goals, and then staying alive to see them fulfilled. “We’ll just have to see what we can do,” said Dr. Baruchel, and since then he has followed the progress of the racer as carefully as he monitors James’ health and treatment.
Throughout the spring and summer, whenever James was well enough, he made visits to Big James and his aircraft hanger at the Peterborough Airport where he and his co-worker Alan began working on the racer with Little James. James first arrived in a wheelchair, in great pain and unable to walk, but still intent on working on his racer. Surrounded by airplanes being repaired and modified, they created a cardboard model of the TGV train in profile which James took home, and after looking at pictures of the TGV train on the Internet, James painted the model orange and white. On some days James was strong enough to walk and was able to help Big James and Alan use the model as a jig and cut out the forms.
Slowly the soap box racer began to take shape, Big James and Alan always making sure that James did as much of the planning and construction as he could. There were days it looked as if the project would remain an unfinished dream, as James’ went through yet another medical crisis. But the weeks and months went by, and together they have crafted a soap box carefully fitted and padded to hold James’ fragile form. Each member of the Birrell family has had a turn joining James in the design shop, and even his little brother Ben has been a regular helper in the project. By mid August the racer was ready for painting, and then it was time to plan the lettering and decals. Then a big day arrived, the day of James’ first test run in the racer. With their hearts in their throats, Syd and Big James launched James down a hill on a quiet country road near the airport. He made it! He drives like a pro!
Despite recurring setbacks in James health, we are now just days away from the Soap Box Derby on September 8th. And the weekend will be celebrated with parties and festivities, and the arrival of family from across the country. We will also take this opportunity to honour some of the movers and shakers of the James Birrell Fund for Neuroblastoma as we celebrate reaching a landmark $100,000 in donations. Doctors, researchers, Hospital for Sick Children Foundation people, a drug company, donors, friends and the press will all be celebrating by attending a boat cruise hosted by the Birrell family.
Once again we extend our heartfelt thanks to each of our supporters, who have contributed to James Fund and to the joyous adventures of the Birrell family. And a very special thanks to Big James, Alan and the staff at Airtech, for helping make Little James’ big dreams come true!
For more information about the TGV, visit
http://www.raileurope.ca/train-faq/european-trains/tgv/how-to-book.html
See photos:
Getting Ready for the Soap Box Race
Soap Box Derby Photos
A Letter from Big James
