Vaughan's Giuliano Todaro, 17, earns 'civic hero' title
Giuliano has come long way since diagnosis at age 10.

YorkRegion.com
April 11, 2018
Simone Joseph

At an age when his biggest worry should have been choosing who to sit next to at lunchtime or which game to play at recess, Giuliano Todaro was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

During treatment, he decided he wanted to help other children in the same situation.

Along with his parents, he started Giuliano’s Journey in June 2011 to raise funds for the Hospital for Sick Children.

Thanks to involvement in many fundraisers, he and his family have raised more than $100,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Program for pediatric research at SickKids.

On April 4, Giuliano Todaro was presented with Vaughan’s Ward 2 Civic Hero Award.

The annual award is given to Vaughan residents for outstanding achievement.

Giuliano has come a long way since being diagnosed at age 10.

By Grade 9, he was in remission.

In October 2016, he earned the Order of Vaughan for philanthropy.

Today, the 17-year-old is in Grade 12 at Woodbridge’s Father Bressani Catholic High School.

Looking back, he says despite his diagnosis, he tried his best to be happy, positive and cheerful, an outlook which helped him. His advice to others?

“It’s a long fight. Take it slowly … eventually you will reach the end.”

City of Vaughan Civic Hero Awards: https://www.vaughan.ca/news/civic_heros/Pages/default.aspx