Canungra grandad and school bus driver Pierre Cannon battles terminal cancer

The community is rallying to support a local school bus driver and grandfather after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Here’s how you can help.

Canungra State School bus driver Pierre Cannon, 73, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Picture: Supplied

The community is rallying to support a Scenic Rim school bus driver after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Pierre Cannon, 73, has driven the bus for Canungra State School for about five years.

The father of two and grandfather of three was first diagnosed with cancer after he almost choked on a sausage while volunteering at a fundraiser in December last year.

“He was volunteering at a sausage sizzle at the school,” his son Damien Cannon said.

“He nearly choked on a sausage and couldn’t swallow it.”

Pierre went to see his doctor and tests showed he had esophageal cancer.

“He had four rounds of chemo at the start of this year,” Damien said.

But while undergoing an esophagectomy, a procedure to remove parts of the oesophagus, surgeons discovered stage 4 cancer in his stomach and bowel.

“It was never picked up in the scans and didn’t show up in any blood tests,” Damien said.

“The cancer in his bowel has wrapped itself around major blood vessels so they can’t operate on it and chemotherapy won’t kill it, it will only shrink it.”

Damien said his dad had remained positive about the terminal diagnosis.

“The doctors are quite amazed he is in very little pain,” he said.

“They’ve said he is either a liar or a tough old bugger.”

Pierre hasn’t driven the school bus since his first diagnosis and Damien said his dad was missing seeing the students’ smiling faces on his route.

“He loved being able to get the kids to and from school in a safe manner,” he said.

“The kids made him a special handmade get well soon card.

“It’s such a special gift.”

Pierre used to be a jeweller but became a bus driver after he fell off a roof and broke his back, leaving him unable to sit at his work bench.

Pierre would dress up the school bus for special events like Christmas, Anzac Day and State of Origin matches.

“He would put blue and maroon balloons up and down the bus and then whichever team lost, the kids would get to pop their balloons,” Damien said.

“His bus was quite known around the little community.”

Originally from Coffs Harbour, Pierre has volunteered with many groups and is an avid motorcycle rider

A GoFundMe page, called Please help Pierre, has been set up to cover medical expenses and contribute to his end of life wishes.

“We’ve been blown away by the love from our little community,” Damien said.

“There are no words to thank everyone enough.”