An Adelaide household is dealing with one of many hardest challenges of their life as 9-year-old Fraser Suggate fights aggressive mind most cancers. The tumour, nicknamed ‘Bob the Blob’, has seen Fraser bear pressing surgical procedure which hasn’t gone with out its hiccups.
That is simply the beginning of a really lengthy journey, balancing hospital visits and coverings, along with the overwhelming emotional toll as they attempt to keep normality for Fraser’s 12-year-old brother, Henry.
Meet Bob the Blob
Fraser’s dad, Rob, wrote a music to clarify to his son what is occurring to him. He hopes ‘Bob the Blob’ can be utilized by the Girls’s and Kids’s Hospital to clarify mind tumours to different kids dealing with an identical analysis.
“He understands that Bob the Blob in his head and that he feels sick, however his docs are going to take it out, and that can make him really feel higher” his mom Simone mentioned.
However attending to Fraser’s mind most cancers analysis wasn’t straightforward.
Lengthy Combat For Solutions
Misdiagnosis And Mum’s Dedication
It began again in April when Fraser began feeling unwell. Mum Simone took him to docs who initially dismissed her issues, telling her he had ‘a bug’, after which even diagnosing it as ‘anxiousness’.
However Fraser continued to get sicker.
When he began vomiting, Simone took him again to the physician who then identified ‘gastro’, however seen Fraser appeared dehydrated and steered she take her son to close by Flinders Medical Centre. As soon as there, they confirmed it was ‘gastro’, however Fraser wasn’t getting any higher.
Simone says Fraser additionally suffers conductive listening to loss which occurs when sounds can not get via the outer and center ear. She initially thought that this might have been linked to his signs, so booked him in to see an Ear, Nostril and Throat (ENT) Specialist.
The ENT booked Fraser in for surgical procedure in August to have grommets put in (tiny air flow tubes put contained in the eardrum to stop a build-up of fluid). However earlier than this might even occur, Fraser was rushed to Flinders Emergency Division after he complained to his mum of feeling dizzy and sick. Pushing for solutions to the medical staff, Simone says that they then carried out a CT scan.
After which all of it turned clear.
Fraser Receives a Shock Prognosis
Younger Fraser was identified with Medulloblastoma, a fast-growing, cancerous mind tumour positioned on the cerebellum.
“I used to be in absolute, utter shock,” Simone mentioned. “I assumed, why wasn’t a scan accomplished earlier? I had so many whys!”
Medulloblastoma signs occur when the tumour grows or causes strain to construct up within the mind. They will start earlier than the most cancers is identified and should proceed for months or years, even after therapy. Indicators and signs of medulloblastoma might embrace:
- Dizziness
- Double imaginative and prescient
- Complications
- Nausea
- Poor coordination
- Tiredness
- Unsteady stroll
- Vomiting
Fraser underwent pressing 11-hour surgical procedure on the Girls’s and Kids’s Hospital to take away the tumour. Shortly after, Fraser developed posterior fossa syndrome, which develops in round 30% of kids with medulloblastoma, typically showing between 1-3 days after surgical procedure.
“You must put all of your belief in them,” Ms Suggate mentioned. “I simply mentioned, ‘our son’s life is in your fingers, do no matter you may’.”
On prime of making an attempt to struggle his mind tumour, the Suggate household at the moment are having to take care of little Fraser dealing with the unintended effects of this new syndrome. Unintended effects are just like somebody who has had a stroke, with bother remembering issues and discovering it troublesome to speak.
So Fraser might want to regain speech, the power to stroll, run and transfer his arms, and many others, plus dealing with extreme temper swings and the shortcoming to remain nonetheless for prolonged durations.
On prime of this, not all the tumour was in a position to be eliminated throughout the 11-hour surgical procedure, leaving Fraser confronted with the choice of radiotherapy and chemotherapy – additional therapy required to try to solely take away the mind most cancers.
“Each Simone and I are conserving constructive and in addition making an attempt to maintain normalcy for younger Henry (Fraser’s brother), who we should not neglect is impacted as nicely.” – Rob, Fraser’s dad
Guide neurosurgeon Xenia Doorenbosch from Adelaide’s Girls’s and Kids’s Hospital mentioned Fraser was “so calm and courageous” main as much as his surgical procedure.
“His dad and mom informed me that he felt higher understanding that his favorite physician, Dr Jake Nowicki might be in surgical procedure with him.”
Mind Most cancers Surgical procedure Continues
Fraser will begin radiation remedy in September to take away the remaining Medulloblastoma, adopted by chemotherapy. He would require therapy daily for six weeks – that’s therapy for 42 days straight.
Sadly, due to the present syndrome and the actual fact he can’t now stay nonetheless in a set place, poor little Fraser should bear a normal anaesthetic with a purpose to obtain his radiation therapy daily till the syndrome passes. When will that be? Specialists say it’s exhausting to inform and that this syndrome may grasp round for months and typically even years.
Let that simply set in. Poor Fraser.
Abroad Therapy a Fleeting Want
Presently, there are two varieties of radiation for treating this explicit type of Medulloblastoma, along with chemotherapy:
- Proton remedy – a radiation therapy that exactly delivers a beam of protons to disrupt and destroy tumour cells.
- Conventional radiation – right here, protons have distinctive properties that permit docs to higher goal radiation to the scale and form of the tumour.
Sadly for the Suggate household, the proton remedy is in America (Florida), and whereas partially funded by the Federal Authorities, purposes can sadly take as much as 4 weeks (or extra) to approve. That’s 4 weeks little Fraser doesn’t have to surrender.
Sadly for the 9-year-old, this sort of most cancers may be very quick rising, that means he can’t wait simply sit and anticipate the anticipated four-week timeframe for the Authorities to think about and approve his request. By then, the most cancers can have grown much more and diminished his skill to fully rid his physique of this most cancers. Ready round is just not an choice.
As you may think about, Fraser’s household try to maintain each choices open, holding onto the hope that the Authorities would possibly rethink his case. They’re hoping the authorities will see that it entails a younger baby and acknowledge that the worth of human life ought to outweigh paperwork and crimson tape.
So, shifting ahead, Fraser will bear an operation the place a ‘shunt’ will positioned underneath the cranium with a tube to assist drain the cerebrospinal fluid and redirect any extra quantities to the stomach.
So, for now, it’s a ready sport. In the meantime, Simone and Rob must take day without work work and play tag staff to be by Fraser’s bedside as he faces the largest struggle of his life. As you may recognize, that’s exhausting for them to be by his aspect 24/7 nevertheless it’s what any loving dad or mum would do.
Fraser’s dad and mom, Rob and Simone, have taken, and can proceed to take substantial day without work work to be with Fraser, help one another, and care for his or her 12-year-old son, Henry. They’re decided to make sure Henry feels supported and beloved throughout this troublesome time as they stability hospital stays with house life. Whereas their essential focus is on offering the perfect care and emotional help for each of their kids, this dedication is placing vital monetary strain on the household.
Converse Up and Push for Solutions
Simone is urging fellow dad and mom to comply with their instincts and advocate for his or her kids. Converse up when you really feel it’s not proper, and push for the solutions you already know you deserve!
“Go get a second opinion, a 3rd, go get a fourth opinion till you’re fully glad,” she mentioned. “That’s what I used to be doing. I used to be trying to find solutions having been informed it’s anxiousness after which gastro.”
“If I had taken the phrase of different folks I could not have my son with me.”
Fraser’s a fighter and with Bob the Blob, his motto whereas in hospital is: “He’s getting robust so he’s not in right here for lengthy”.
Buddies of the household have arrange a Go Fund Me web page, with funds raised for use to cowl the prices of medical bills, journey to and from the hospital, day by day residing bills throughout this time of diminished revenue, and any further help companies wanted for Fraser’s restoration.
The Suggate household is dealing with an unimaginable problem, however they don’t seem to be alone. Fraser’s braveness, Rob and Simone’s unwavering help, and Henry’s resilience are a testomony to the power of this household. As they navigate this lengthy and arduous journey, they’re surrounded by the love and help of their group. Each contribution, whether or not via sort phrases, prayers, or donations to the GoFundMe web page, helps lighten the load they carry.
Grasp in there Fraser, we’re all cheering for you! You’re a fighter,
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