Classmates and community join to support high school junior battling cancer

VINTON, Va. (WDBJ) - Just a few weeks ago, Camden Thepsimuong received a diagnosis he and his family never expected.

“Our world kind of shook on July 2nd, and it wasn’t until a little bit before the 15th where he was getting scheduled for a biopsy surgery,” said his mother, Charlene Thepsimuong.

He has stage 4 bone cancer and his life completely changed. The things he loved, he could no longer do.

“[My family] would tell me that I didn’t want to do anything. I just wanted to lay in bed the whole time, didn’t want to eat, didn’t want to get up,” recalled Camden.

As treatment progressed, things have gotten a little easier for Camden. Saturday, he was able to go to a car and vendor show in his honor.

“Camden is going to be starting chemo in the next week, so we weren’t sure if he was going to be here, and it just worked out that he will be here,” said Charlene.

The event was organized by Jason Lane, a parent of three girls who are Camden’s classmates at William Byrd High School.

“I felt obligated as a parent to step up and do something, and so I contacted his parents and was like, ‘Hey, you know, I want to step up and do something for you guys.’” said Lane. “God’s called me to do this, and I feel like this is the right thing to do.”

Over a dozen vendors and cars gathered in the parking lot at the high school for the event. All proceeds go toward funding his cancer treatment.

“It feels great knowing that I have this much knowledge and appreciation to the Cam’s Purpose and knowing that I have friends at every corner just willing to show out,” said Camden.

Cam’s Purpose is a private page Charlene and his aunt created so others could join Camden’s journey with cancer.

“I was just thinking to myself and thinking to my husband, you know, there’s a reason for everything. And God has a purpose for Camden. We don’t know what it is, but we know it’s going to be a purpose that’s going to be great and we’re giving God the glory for that. And so I just titled it Cam’s Purpose and then from that things just moved quickly,” said Charlene.

That page came to life as people from across the school district showed their support to their fellow Terrier.

“I can’t wait to just kind of us walk around him, rolling around, and see people that we know and people that we don’t, just really thank them for being here and supporting Camden,” said Charlene. “There’s so much love for him and so much love for our family, but people that don’t even know Camden know of him now.”

After seeing everyone who came out to the event, Lane said the support for Camden embodies the spirit in the town.

“Vinton is a close knit community and we all rally together. I’m not a Terrier, I’m a Colonel, but we’re all Terriers today,” said Lane.

Charlene said the best way to support Camden and their family is through prayer, but you can also donate to a GoFundMe for Camden’s treatment here.