WAB's Community of Caring

Over the past week, the WAB community came together and showed amazing support for WAB family member Steve Aldred. Steve has taught as a substitute at WAB and coached countless soccer teams, for the Tigers as well as Sports Beijing. In February, he was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and faced the daunting challenge of covering the costs of treatment and medical care.

Across the school, students, teachers, staff and parents responded, with compassion, by hosting myriad fundraisers, ranging from a HS art auction to a MS soccer shoot-out tournament to a number of teachers and staff collecting pledges for shaving their heads (a trend started by soccer coach and WABX player Josh Tunon).

Derek Davies, WABX-ES Coordinator and a friend of Steve's said, "The WAB community has come together and showed their caring support of Steve. Amazingly, in just three days, WAB has shown its overwhelming generosity and caring attitude and raised enough funds to cover the initial costs of Steve's treatment. The WAB community has shown all over again why this school is so special."

Steve has also delivered a message of thanks to the entire community:

To everyone at WAB and the Beijing expatriate community, Since my diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma in February I have been overwhelmed with the response from you all to assist me in beating this disease. The support I have from you is something that has galvanized our school and community as well as giving me great strength. The hard work and thoughts of everyone involved in special fund raising events is very much appreciated and we have now reached a financial target
that I feel and understand to be enough to allow me to receive adequate treatment here in Beijing and if all goes to plan make a full recovery.

I hope to be able to continue with my soccer coaching and substitute teaching at WAB and will over time thank you all personally.

Sincerely,
Steve

WAB wishes Steve strength as he enters his recovery process.