When Shelby Fisher’s 9-year-old son Parker was diagnosed with pre-dominant Hodgkin lymphoma in May of 2021, she was not sure where to turn.

“The worst nightmare is hearing that your child has this and not knowing what to expect,” Shelby said.

Parker, who is now a fifth-grade student at LaFayette Intermediate School, underwent four months of intense treatment at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester.

“He was very sick with chemo and had every side effect that you could possibly have,” his mother said.

Fortunately, Parker is now in remission and his family, which also includes father, Kristofer, and sister, Emme, wants to show their gratitude to a community that was so supportive of them in their time of need.

In September, the Fishers donated six yellow ribbons to the Waterloo Central School District to be displayed at District Office, the Transportation Department and all four schools to commemorate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

On October 17, the Board of Education also approved the Parker Strong Scholarship, which was established by the Fisher family. The scholarship, which will be for $500 in its first year, will be open to seniors who plan on entering the medical field.

“This is Parker’s way of giving back because he had such great nurses when he was in the hospital,” Shelby Fisher said.