The Columbian | Serving Clark County, Washington

Sean McHugh, 9, stood with his right hand raised, repeating an oath administered by Clark County Sheriff Garry Lucas.

Sean’s tailored pants were baggy on his 57-pound frame. His bald head was covered by a black baseball-style sheriff’s hat.

After pledging to uphold the laws of the state of Washington and abide by the code of ethics of the sheriff’s office, Sean was sworn in as honorary “Chief for a Day.” He shook hands with Lucas and then his dad, Matt McHugh, pinned on his badge.

That was Tuesday.

Today Sean, a fourth-grader at La Center Elementary School, was scheduled to be back at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, where he’s undergoing treatment for leukemia.

But back to Tuesday.

Statewide, 21 little chiefs were honored Aug. 18 at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission’s police academy in Burien.

Sean missed out because he was in the hospital.

“We’re here to make sure Sean gets his day,” Sgt. Mike McCabe said at the start of the ceremony, held in front of approximately 45 people in the lobby of the sheriff’s office in downtown Vancouver.

Lucas told Sean that swearing-in ceremonies mark the beginning of a new chapter in life.

“We hope yours will be filled with good health, happiness, prosperity and maybe even a career in law enforcement,” Lucas said.

After Sean’s badge was pinned, Lucas joked, “Now I understand you have a 15-minute speech prepared?”

Sean looked at the crowd, which included family members and family friends as well as deputies and administrative staff, and said, “Thank you for being here for my ‘Chief for a Day.’”

McCabe recalled when, in anticipation of the ceremony, he met Sean and his father at an alterations store so Sean could try on his uniform. “Sean looked at me, looked at his dad, and said, ‘When do I get my gun?’” McCabe recalled. “I knew he was right for our agency at that moment.”

Sean received presents, including some requiring strength and energy he doesn’t have right now, such as a boogie board and a “Dance Dance Revolution” video game. Other gifts included an iPod Nano and NFL trading cards. He received a folder full of coupons donated by local restaurants, as well as tickets for outings including a Portland Winterhawks hockey game.

The presents were bought by cadets or donated by businesses, McCabe said. An account has been set up for donations, which will help Sean’s parents pay medical costs. More than $1,000 has been raised, McCabe said.

Sean was the first little chief to be sponsored by the sheriff’s office under the state “Chief for a Day” program.

McCabe said every other year law enforcement agencies can choose to sponsor a child who has a life-threatening illness.

In 2008, the sheriff’s K-9 units went to the police academy in Burien to participate in the ceremony.

When Lucas learned about the program, he said he wanted to sponsor a local child in 2010, McCabe said.

An internal memo went out, asking if any sheriff’s employees knew a child who could be a candidate for the program.

Sean, who was diagnosed last year, was suggested.

“We were very touched,” Sean’s mother, Kim, said Tuesday.

She and Matt each had two sons from previous relationships when they married 13 years ago.

Sean will turn 10 in February.

Their youngest was diagnosed Dec. 4. Kim said she had taken Sean to his pediatrician last November for a viral rash. When the rash hadn’t gone away in a month, she and Matt took him back to the doctor on Dec. 3. The doctor noticed that Sean had lost seven pounds since his last office visit, and started ordering tests.

The next morning, Kim and Matt were told to take Sean to the 10th floor of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

“We had no idea it was the oncology department,” Kim said. “That’s when cancer became real, and surreal all at the same time.”

Sean had his first chemotherapy treatment that evening, and he stayed in the hospital for one week. He’s on a 3½-year treatment program, Kim said. He has dropped from 100 pounds to 57 pounds, and has had some very serious liver issues, Kim said.

His hair started falling out three months ago.

“Before he was sick, he hit the ground running in the morning,” she said. Camping and swimming were his favorite summertime activities.

Now, whenever possible he goes to school half-days, alternating between morning and afternoon classes because he doesn’t have the energy to go for a full day. He also has a tutor.

She said her son, who smiled at the jokes about him letting deputies have the day off or having to balance the budget, doesn’t complain about being sick.

“Every once in a while, he’ll say, ‘I really hate having leukemia,’” Kim said.

“Sean is a fighter,” she said. “Sean doesn’t say ‘if’ he gets cured. Sean’s attitude is ‘when’ he gets cured. There’s no room for argument.”

Stephanie Rice: stephanie.rice@columbian.com or 360-735-4508.

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