Britton Caillouette

Britton Caillouette’s tone remains steady as the conversation shifts

from volunteerism to surfing to making music to cancer to amputation.

A matter-of-fact, mature cheerfulness permeates his outlook on life,

taking the good with the bad as simple facts of reality.

“Attitude is extremely important when you’re dealing with cancer,”

the Sage Hill School senior said.

Now, five years after the potentially fatal diagnosis that cost

him his left leg, Caillouette is sharing his time and his triumph

with others. The 18-year-old is assembling a team of friends to walk

with him in the Relay for Life, and he’s also a volunteer

representative for the cancer awareness and fund-raising event.

“It’s a really fun event. I just happened to hear about it last

year and I stopped by and I ended up walking in their first lap to

honor survivors,” he said. “I just had a great time, a ton of my

friends were there, and so it made sense to get involved again this

year.”

The Relay for Life is in its second year in Newport Beach. Walkers

representing different teams take turns walking the track at Newport

Harbor High School stadium for 24 hours to raise money and awareness

for the deadly disease. Cancer survivors walk the first lap in a

ceremony designed to inspire hope for those fighting the disease.

Caillouette is all too happy to take part. The Newport Beach

resident was in the eighth grade when he was diagnosed with a rare

form of bone cancer in his left leg. He underwent chemotherapy and

two rounds of bone graft surgery before learning that the cancer had

metastasized in his lung. A third surgery removed the tumor in his

lung. Then, for a while, all was well.

“I thought, ‘It’s finally over. It’s healed. This is great.’”

But his leg wasn’t healing properly from the surgery. When doctors

went in, they found more cancer, advanced enough to warrant

amputating Caillouette’s leg from above the knee.

Two and a half years ago, his cancer was declared in remission and

Caillouette recently got another clean bill of health.

“It was a long process and it truly was amazing the amount of

support I got from my family and friends,” he said.

But it hasn’t slowed him down. In the fall, Caillouette plans to

attend Stanford University. He also plays in a rock band, Vanity

Kissed Vanity, and plans to relearn how to surf.

“What I went through, it’s kind of a unique experience,” he said.

“It’s caused me to grow up a lot and it’s really changed my outlook

on life.”

-- June Casagrande,

Photo by Sean Hiller