KING WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The community is coming together to help a King William County family after their son was diagnosed with brain cancer.
At the same time, that family is doing everything they can to help other families in the same situation, even as they are overwhelmed by hospital visits and bills.
The King William High School auditorium was packed Monday night, all in support of Micah Coffin, a 15-year-old high school sophomore battling brain cancer.
The theme of the volunteer basketball game between staff and students was called “Ballin’ for Micah”.
“Every time I think about it, I cry because it, just, the outpouring of love, not just from King William High School, but from all aspects of our community,” said Tom Coffin, Micah’s dad.
Micah Coffin was diagnosed with germinoma, a type of brain cancer, in December 2021. Since then, he has been through multiple surgeries and chemotherapy treatments at Virginia Commonwealth University’s children’s hospital.
Micah’s mom, Tisha Coffin, has documented every moment of his journey the family has had to endure.
King William High School Student Council Association President, Ellie Hubbard, helped organize the game. All money from the game and merchandise sold beforehand will go to the Coffin family.
“It was scary that it could happen to somebody that’s so close to us,” Hubbard told 8News in an interview Monday.
Tom Coffin said the outpouring of support from the community has been ‘indescribable’.
As Micah’s soccer coach for the Mechanicsville United Football Club Sabors, Coffin plans to use the team as a platform to raise money for childhood cancer awareness.
“I can’t sit on the sidelines and not give back to these people that are helping us,” he cried.
The team plans to raise money for organizations that help families who are dealing with childhood cancer like the Ronald McDonald House, the Ask Children’s Cancer Foundation and Conner’s Heroes.
“It’s about Micah, but it’s more than Micah. It’s about giving back to the families that come behind us feel the same comfort level that we do,” Tom Coffin said.
The Coffins said Micah’s germinoma is not terminal. Micah said he just has a few treatments left to go.
