Cancer patients at The Hospital for Sick Children got the chance to rub shoulders with nearly 30 celebrities during the Rally for Kids with Cancer Scavenger Cup on Saturday.

The fundraising event invites participants who share a passion for exotic cars to take part in a scavenger hunt around the city with a celebrity navigator. SickKids served as one of the Pit Stops and is the recipient of the funds raised. This year’s Rally raised $3 million for the Hospital.

Jack White, 12, who has been battling cancer for more than nine years, spent some time with the celebrity chair of the event, Gene Simmons. The KISS rock legend and star of the television series Gene Simmons Family Jewels, co-chaired Rally for Kids with his soon-to-be wife, Shannon Tweed.

Jack was so excited for his moment with Simmons that he went out on a special shopping trip to find the perfect KISS t-shirt. Unfortunately, after four long days of chemotherapy leading up to the event, he wasn’t feeling well when the day finally arrived. Despite this, Jack insisted on sticking it out.

He waited patiently on the sidelines at the SickKids Pit Stop. His courageous story spread to parents and volunteers and it quickly became everyone’s mission to make Jack’s experience with Simmons a memorable one.

As soon as Simmons arrived, a path was carved through the crowd straight to Jack so they could spend some time together.

“It was really touching that everyone, including Gene Simmons, went out of their way to create this special moment for Jack,” Jack’s mother, Caroline, said. “He has undergone more than most people should in a lifetime, so we do anything we can to make him happy.”

Jack is now fighting his fourth recurrence of cancer called malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNST). The most recent tumour Jack has cannot be surgically removed so his treatment plan includes travelling to SickKids regularly to receive chemotherapy.

To date, Rally for Kids with Cancer has raised more than $8 million for SickKids. Funds raised from the event will support critical care, treatment and research for kids, like Jack, who suffer from cancer.