They're carrying a stuffed monkey around the world in support of a young boy with brain cancer. Tyler, the five-year-old son of James and Kelly Puetz, who live in Regina, but have Humboldt roots, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour on September 11.The little boy, described by his parents as an outdoorsy, fearless, giving little guy who loves his puppy and visiting his grandparents' farm, looks out for his little brother and whose favourite colour is green, has now garnered support from people all over the world as he undergoes his cancer treatments.Chad Bremner, 39, who is originally from Humboldt but now lives in Calgary, has signed himself and 14 other sailors up to carry a mascot called "Tyler the Monkey"when they sail around the world in 2013, in support of Tyler. The sailors who have agreed to carry this monkey mascot are all part of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, an 11-month-long sailing race that starts in the United Kingdom in July 2013. Bremner and the other sailors had all signed up for different legs of the race when Bremner heard about Tyler's diagnosis and wanted to do something to help. This race isn't for sailing elite. Their website says it's for anyone and everyone."Anyone, even if they have never stepped on a boat before, can join the adventure and circumnavigate the world in an eleven month-long marathon," it states, adding that about 40 per cent of the crew members who sign up for the race have never stepped on board a yacht before their first training session.Hundreds sign up for the race, and it's eventually narrowed down to the crews for each of the 12 yachts, which carry 22 people each on eight different legs of the trip."Not everybody goes all the way around the world," Bremner explained. Just six or seven people on each boat will stay on for the entire 11 months. Other crew members come do legs of the journey.Bremner, who has signed up to do the leg from Canada to the United Kingdom, has already gone through two levels of the necessary three levels of training for this race. It was during the training that he met other people who have signed up for this race and heard their reasons why they were doing this. Some people just got divorced, he said, and others have lost their spouse in other ways. Some said they just needed to add some spice to their life, or were going through some midlife crisis."People usually have some crazy reason why," he told the Journal. "I just like sailing."But when he found out about Tyler's diagnosis from his classmate James Puetz, he found his reason. He decided to do this race in support of Tyler.The Puetz family gave him their full support. Bremner's purpose is two-fold - to raise some funds for the family and to raise Tyler's spirits during his treatment. A fundraising website has been set up to help with the former - Bremner is looking to raise $40,000 - a dollar for every mile of the journey around the world. As for the latter, that's where the monkey - or monkeys - comes in. Three monkeys to serve as mascots for supporting Tyler have been purchased. One was given to him to get him through his treatments and recovery - he has already undergone surgery to prepare him for 27 radiation treatments which will take place in Saskatoon.Another monkey was given to his brother, Brayden, 4, to keep him company while his brother is undergoing treatments.The third will be taken around the world, eventually making his way back to Tyler at the end of the race. Sailor Heather Reid will carry the sailing monkey for the first leg of the trip, taking him from the United Kingdom to Rio, beginning in July 2013. From there, he will be carried to Cape Town, then Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, China, San Francisco, Panama, New York, Nova Scotia, Ireland, the Netherlands and back to the United Kingdom.In total, the monkey will pass through the hands of 15 sailors, the last of which will be Bremner's own, before coming back to Tyler in July 2014. He will have travelled over 40,000 miles in their 11-month trip and will experience some of the most beautiful and most dangerous oceans this planet can offer.All involved are just praying that Tyler is there to take that monkey from Bremner. Removing Tyler's brain tumour through surgery was considered too risky as it was located near the brain stem.As of October 12, Tyler had undergone 14 radiation treatments, and had reportedly handled the side effects well. Doctors have told the family that he is going to have a very challenging time after the radiation treatment, and that the long-term survival rates of children with similar conditions is low. "Tyler has been in the hospital for a month now and has gone through a few surgeries and 12 radiation treatments....he has not once complained....unbelievable how strong he is...his strength is helping Kelly and I get through this time," James stated. For more information, like "Sailing Around the World for Tyler" on Facebook.
