Collins Dixon was a boy who touched many throughout his short life; Cherokee High School senior Josh Thomas was one of those individuals.

At the age of 12, Collins succumbed to his nearly yearlong battle with an aggressive cancer. Despite receiving a terminal diagnosis, Collins was determined to beat the odds by putting his fate into the hands of the Lord.

Although Collins was called home Jan. 14, his passion for Christ and mission to follow His word will live on through Josh, who has vowed to donate proceeds from his senior project to the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children in Collins’ name.

Ronnie Chastain, one of Collins’ older brothers, also has spearheaded a foundation to support spreading Christianity. It’s called Finish Strong.

(LEFT:  Cherokee High School students Josh Thomas, left, and Ronnie Chastain, the brother of the late Collins Dixon, stand with a wristband Josh is selling for his senior project. Proceeds from the sales will be donated to the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children on behalf of Collins. Photo by Jessica Wagner | Ledger-News)

“I want it to be bigger than Bend Your Knees For Collins because I want Christianity to spread like Collins did,” Ronnie, a CHS freshman, said.

It was during his younger brother’s battle against cancer that Ronnie wondered whether Collins knew the impact he would have on so many.

“I wondered if he knew this all was going to happen,” he said, adding that Collins was an inspiration to so many, including Josh. “Josh has been such an inspiration to me, as well. He has done a lot, and I can’t put into words how happy I am that he stepped up to do this.”

According to Josh, he was first introduced to Collins shortly after the boy was diagnosed with stage-four Glioblastoma Multiforme, a common and very aggressive malignant brain tumor.

The pair met during CHS baseball team’s Warriors Against Cancer event last April.

“Collins came to that game and threw out the first pitch,” Josh said, noting it was a themed event for breast cancer.  “This year, we are focusing on brain cancer.”

Josh, who was a junior when he met Collins, said he was inspired by the boy’s desire to give back to the community, despite his own trials.

“I got closer and closer to him,” he said, adding that in September when he was drafting senior project ideas, his mind kept going back to Collins. “At this point, we all thought he had overcome the cancer because it was decreasing.”

With inspiration pulled from Collins’ strength, Josh developed “Beat Brain Cancer” wristbands to sell during fundraising events through the year, including CHS Spanish Clubs’ “Beat Out Brain Cancer” concert and the baseball team’s “Queen of Diamonds” event.

“When I came up with my project, Collins and I were going to go the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children and donate the money in April,” he said.

While his family, friends and the community were hopeful Collins’ battle with cancer was nearly over during the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Fields of Faith event, in December his mass had doubled in size and was deemed “inoperable.”

The chemotherapy also had failed.

“It was all in God’s hands,” Josh said. “All the faith that he had, it was amazing that someone so young had such a positive outlook.”

Josh also commended the strength of Collins’ parents, Bob and Robin Dixon.

“His mom thanked me for my project, and I thought she would have done the same thing for me. They are always putting others first,” he said. “His mom has just as much strength as Collins did.”

Using a Web site to create the bands, Josh said he needed to find the perfect phrase and “Beat Brain Cancer” seemed fitting. In addition, Josh also wanted one key element — Collins’ initials.

“I wanted it to be concentrated on Collins because he was trying to give back to the community,” he said. “That was the kind of person he was; he didn’t want to bring the spotlight on himself.”

Of the 600 wristbands Josh ordered, only 60 remain. He has raised more than $1,000.

“I will still donate the proceeds in his memory,” Josh said.

In addition to selling the bands, Josh has partnered with Ronnie to create T-shirts, which the pair will sell during “Beat Out Brain Cancer,” set for March 3, at 7 p.m., and during “Queen of Diamonds,” slated for Feb. 18, at 6 p.m. Both events will take place in the Cherokee High’s auditorium.

Josh said half of the sales will go toward his donation to the brain cancer foundation and the other half will go toward Ronnie’s foundation — Finish Strong.

“My motivation other than Collins wanting to beat brain cancer was that he wanted to spread the word of Jesus,” Ronnie said. “This will continue his legacy.”

Josh said the baseball team would wear the shirts as warm-up jerseys this season.

“He touched the baseball team as a whole,” he said. “It has spread like a virus; you could see how many were touched by him and how inspired they were.”

Ronnie will be setting donation jars at R.M. Moore Elementary School, Teasley Middle School and CHS; a future bank account will also be set up for the Finish Strong charity.

Much as Collins’ story motivated Josh and Ronnie, CHS Principal Debra Murdock said these two students have inspired their fellow classmates.

“They are leaders,” she said.

Murdock lauded Josh, saying he was an “incredible student, human and leader.”

“Ronnie is terrific, as well,” she added.

For those interested in donating to Josh’s senior project, a bank account has been set up at Wells Fargo under “Collins Gives Back.” All donations will be presented to the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children in memory of Collins.

Donations can also be sent to the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children, 6065 Roswell Road NE Ste. 505, Atlanta Ga. 30328 or CURE Childhood Cancer, 1117 Perimeter Center West Ste. N-402, Atlanta Ga. 30338 per the family’s request.