David Tran of Deer Park pens book, 'Brave Dave,' about leukemia battle

David Tran knows what it’s like to be a kid battling cancer and trying to remain optimistic — and now, he wants to help youngsters who are struggling like he did.

“I want kids to look on the bright side, not on the bad side,” David, 13, said.

The Deer Park student, an eighth-grader at Robert Frost Middle School, recently wrote a 10-page children’s book titled “Brave Dave,” which describes his leukemia diagnosis at the age of 3 and his experiences during treatment. The book, which took him about a year to complete, was illustrated by his school’s art teacher, Danielle Menig.

In addition to helping kids navigate life with cancer, David, who is in remission, also has used his book to raise about $500 for the Childhood Leukemia Foundation by selling copies that Menig printed at a local store for the middle school’s back-to-school night in September. Since then, they have received another $100 in donations.

Of completing the book, he said: “I felt happy, and I felt like I achieved something.”

David said he plans to donate copies of the book to local hospitals and to hold book signings this school year within the Deer Park school district. He is also seeking a publishing company for wider distribution, because the book’s short length made it ineligible for many self-publishing companies, he said.

Menig praised David for his positive outlook and his desire to uplift other children who are undergoing cancer treatment. She said he came to her at the start of the 2022-23 school year and told her that he had written a story, but he didn’t tell her what it was about.

“When I read it, I was so touched that I knew I had to do this for him,” Menig said of illustrating the book. “I think it’s wonderful for little children who are in a similar situation to read that book and say, ‘Look what I can be; I stayed positive . . . and I can overcome anything.’ ”

David is a member of his school’s Art Innovators, Magazine, Newsroom, World of Difference and Yearbook clubs. He is also a student ambassador and gives building tours to children who are new to the school.

“David is an inspiration to all students in the school,” Menig said. “He is a confident boy, and he is a positive boy. This child knows no limits, and he’s not afraid of failure — that’s not an option in his head.”

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.