Beckett Tessarolo

Beckett was just 9 months old when he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in February 2020. He had not been acting like himself, and after a trip to our family doctor and some bloodwork, we learned the horrible news. We received the diagnosis late at night from our dedicated family physician, and within an hour we were on our way to BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH) in a state of shock, unsure of what would happen next. We quickly learned that, unfortunately, a Leukemia diagnosis is not uncommon for children. However, it presenting in a 9-month-old is.

The first days were overwhelming with numerous tests, meetings, and decisions to make. BC Children's Hospital became our home for 5 months while Beckett received his inpatient treatment. Instead of play dates and park trips, we logged some serious miles circling the oncology floor. 18 months of outpatient maintenance chemotherapy followed, with countless appointments and lab visits to monitor along the way. Life could not have been more stressful, chaotic and uncertain. But throughout, Beckett was strong, resilient, and remained a sweet, smiling boy.

Today, Beckett is cancer-free, doing incredibly well, and recently finished kindergarten. He’s an energetic, fun-loving kid who is passionate about all things sports (especially hockey), loves cheeseburgers and brings joy to everyone he meets.

Beckett’s journey is a powerful reminder of the importance of continued research, support, and hope for families facing a blood cancer diagnosis.

For this year’s Light The Night campaign, Beckett has been named the Honoured Hero for the Hard Hats for Hope Construction Challenge in British Columbia, led by his dad, Geoff Tessarolo, Chief Financial Officer of VanMar Constructors. Geoff is proud to lead this industry-wide effort to raise awareness and critical funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC).

Beckett represents what’s possible when hope, research, and community come together. This challenge is for him, and for every family whose world has been changed by blood cancer.