A Brampton teen, diagnosed with stage four cancer, is hoping to meet NBA superstar LeBron James this Christmas.

Corey Groves, 17, is travelling to Los Angeles later this month after being granted a wish from the Children’s Wish Foundation. He will be accompanied by his mother and 14-year-old brother.

The foundation is paying for the week-long trip to L.A. starting Dec. 23.

Groves, a student at Central Peel Secondary School, is hoping he will be able to meet James on Christmas Day at the Lakers game against the Los Angeles Clippers. His dying wish is to shake his hand.

“He is the GOAT (greatest of all time),” said Groves, who set up an Instagram page @coreyswish2019 in the hopes of getting the Lakers’ attention.

“It’s my ultimate goal to meet him.”

The Instagram page has nearly 5,000 followers and Lakers players Quinn Cook and Jared Dudley have commented on his posts.

“CAN’T WAIT TO MEET YOU, MAN!!!!,” Cook wrote on Instagram.

The Lakers are in Toronto to play the Raptors in March but Groves said he can’t afford tickets for the game at Scotiabank Arena. So the trip to Los Angeles is his best chance to meet James.

“We are hopeful that we will be able to make his Lakers experience a special one,” a Lakers spokesperson told the Star on Friday.

Groves was diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumours (DSRCT) in May.

“It’s very rare,” he said, adding there are only about 300 cases of the disease.

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Originally, Groves thought he was sick with the flu. Groves went to the doctor, who told him that his stomach didn’t feel normal. Groves said he went for an ultrasound and was referred to the Hospital for Sick Children where he was diagnosed with DSRCT. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy.

A GoFundMe page was started for Groves by family friend Sherry Williams. As of Friday afternoon, more than $16,000 has been raised of the $25,000 goal to help the family cover medical and other costs.

“We were told that the odds are against him and hopefully with proper care he might have a year to live or he could last for three,” the fundraising page says.

With files from the Star’s Tom Yun

Marta Marychuk is a reporter with the Brampton Guardian. Reach her via email: mmarychuk@metroland.com

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