He's in the game: 15-year-old Whitecaps fan and brain cancer survivor included in FIFA 17

To say Kenton Doust’s life has gone through some ups and downs in the past 14 months would be a drastic understatement.

The 15-year-old soccer fan from Vancouver Island was rushed to Comox Valley Hospital on October 10th of last year, before being airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital the same night after a CT scan revealed three brain tumours.

Four days later, he had brain surgery.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Russell Teibert developed a special relationship with Doust, as Farhan Devji reported on the Whitecaps official website last month. Doust loves soccer and is a Whitecaps superfan.

#tbt to one of the best nights of my life @WhitecapsFC #gocapsgo #VWFC pic.twitter.com/CSArdCMPLw

— Kenton Doust (@KentonDoust) June 26, 2016

Teibert sent Doust a pair of signed soccer cleats and a Whitecaps jersey at Christmas last year. A month later, the pair met and developed a bond over playing FIFA, the popular EA Sports video game.

This isn’t a story of a professional team out in the community for a photo op.

When Doust found out in May that – after four months of chemo and 25 sessions of radiation – he was cancer-free, Teibert was by his side.

I love this man with all my heart. He has helped me so much throughout my journey with cancer. He really helped me whilst I was in some of my worst times at the hospital. He has done so much for my family and I we honestly cannot thank you enough. This photo was taken after I had beat cancer he was there to hear my results he was always there for me. I love you man!

A photo posted by Kenton Doust (@kentondoust) on Jul 7, 2016 at 11:40pm PDT

Doust, who also became close with Whitecaps players Christian Dean and Cole Seiler, was clearly grateful to meet his soccer idols.

“They make me feel special, they encouraged me to keep fighting,” Doust said. “Sorry, I’m getting emotional … it’s hard to explain. I just feel loved. I feel a part of the team, a part of the community that they have. It’s indescribable.”

“I just can’t thank the organization enough … and the wonderful players that we’ve been so blessed to meet,” said Kenton’s mom, Ivonne. “Everybody has been amazing. It’s like a second family now.”

And now, Doust gets to join his heroes in FIFA 17, thanks to the Burnaby-based gaming company Electronic Arts.

Respect to EA for putting @KentonDoust in the game, for those who don't know he beat brain cancer pic.twitter.com/yzJUmRwGvw

— hugh (@Firmtinho) December 6, 2016

Not only is he in the game, he also got his own customized FIFA 17 legend card:

@Firmtinho this too but it's amazing what they did for me and how much it helped me pic.twitter.com/D76rURMdvD

— Kenton Doust (@KentonDoust) December 6, 2016

Doust has been included in the wildly popular game, made possible by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He also got his wish to meet Mexican national team head coach Juan Carlos Osorio, at the EA campus in Burnaby prior to the Canada-Mexico World Cup qualifier in March.

Thank you so much today has been a great day I love you all ❤️

— Kenton Doust (@KentonDoust) December 7, 2016

See also