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An Adelaide household is going through 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 endure 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 elucidate to his son what is going on to him. He hopes ‘Bob the Blob’ can be utilized by the Girls’s and Youngsters’s Hospital to elucidate mind tumours to different youngsters going through an analogous analysis.
“He understands that Bob the Blob in his head and that he feels sick, however his medical doctors 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 simple.
Lengthy Struggle For Solutions
Misdiagnosis And Mum’s Dedication
It began again in April when Fraser began feeling unwell. Mum Simone took him to medical doctors who initially dismissed her considerations, 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 recognized ‘gastro’, however observed Fraser appeared dehydrated and prompt 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 by means of the outer and center ear. She initially thought that this might have been related 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 forestall 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 group, 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 recognized 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 finished earlier? I had so many whys!”
Medulloblastoma signs occur when the tumour grows or causes strain to construct up within the mind. They’ll start earlier than the most cancers is recognized and should proceed for months or years, even after therapy. Indicators and signs of medulloblastoma could 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 Youngsters’s Hospital to take away the tumour. Shortly after, Fraser developed posterior fossa syndrome, which develops in round 30% of youngsters with medulloblastoma, usually showing between 1-3 days after surgical procedure.
“It’s a must to put all of your belief in them,” Ms Suggate mentioned. “I simply mentioned, ‘our son’s life is in your arms, do no matter you may’.”
On prime of making an attempt to struggle his mind tumour, the Suggate household are actually having to cope with little Fraser going through the negative effects of this new syndrome. Unwanted effects are just like somebody who has had a stroke, with hassle remembering issues and discovering it tough to speak.
So Fraser might want to regain speech, the flexibility to stroll, run and transfer his arms, and so forth, plus going through extreme temper swings and the lack to remain nonetheless for prolonged intervals.
On prime of this, not the entire tumour was in a position to be eliminated in the course of the 11-hour surgical procedure, leaving Fraser confronted with the choice of radiotherapy and chemotherapy – additional therapy required to attempt to totally take away the mind most cancers.
“Each Simone and I are conserving constructive and likewise making an attempt to maintain normalcy for younger Henry (Fraser’s brother), who we should not overlook is impacted as nicely.” – Rob, Fraser’s dad
Advisor neurosurgeon Xenia Doorenbosch from Adelaide’s Girls’s and Youngsters’s Hospital mentioned Fraser was “so calm and courageous” main as much as his surgical procedure.
“His dad and mom instructed me that he felt higher realizing that his favorite physician, Dr Jake Nowicki can 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 on daily basis 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 must endure a basic anaesthetic to be able to obtain his radiation therapy on daily basis till the syndrome passes. When will that be? Specialists say it’s arduous to inform and that this syndrome may dangle round for months and generally even years.
Let that simply set in. Poor Fraser.
Abroad Therapy a Fleeting Want
At present, 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 medical doctors to higher goal radiation to the dimensions 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, functions 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, such a most cancers may be very quick rising, which 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 could have grown much more and diminished his skill to fully rid his physique of this most cancers. Ready round is solely not an possibility.
As you may think about, Fraser’s household are attempting to maintain each choices open, holding onto the hope that the Authorities may rethink his case. They’re hoping the authorities will see that it entails a younger youngster and acknowledge that the worth of human life ought to outweigh paperwork and crimson tape.
So, transferring ahead, Fraser will endure an operation the place a ‘shunt’ will positioned beneath 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 recreation. In the meantime, Simone and Rob should take day off work and play tag group to be by Fraser’s bedside as he faces the most important struggle of his life. As you may admire, that’s exhausting for them to be by his facet 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 off work to be with Fraser, assist one another, and care for his or her 12-year-old son, Henry. They’re decided to make sure Henry feels supported and liked throughout this tough time as they stability hospital stays with residence life. Whereas their essential focus is on offering one of the best care and emotional assist for each of their youngsters, this dedication is placing vital monetary strain on the household.
Communicate Up and Push for Solutions
Simone is urging fellow dad and mom to observe their instincts and advocate for his or her youngsters. Communicate up when you really feel it’s not proper, and push for the solutions you deserve!
“Go get a second opinion, a 3rd, go get a fourth opinion till you’re fully happy,” she mentioned. “That’s what I used to be doing. I used to be looking for solutions having been instructed it’s anxiousness after which gastro.”
“If I had taken the phrase of different individuals 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 sturdy 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, each day dwelling bills throughout this time of diminished revenue, and any further assist providers wanted for Fraser’s restoration.
The Suggate household is going through an unimaginable problem, however they aren’t alone. Fraser’s braveness, Rob and Simone’s unwavering assist, 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 assist of their neighborhood. Each contribution, whether or not by means of variety 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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