Callum's battle with spinal cancer
Donation protected
This is Callum’s story.
At fourteen years of age, he’s the baby of the family and the centre of his mum and dad’s lives.
He’s funny, kind, intelligent and incredibly cheeky. He’s a self-proclaimed meme king, obsessed with video games, a competitive tennis player, superhero fan and an integral part of his Army Cadet Unit at Beaconhills College in Pakenham.
He’s also the best son, brother and uncle that we could have asked for.
In February, Cal started experiencing some shoulder pain. It was just minor discomfort and soreness that was easily dismissed as a minor tennis injury by his doctor. However, a week or two later the pain was still there. An ultrasound revealed nothing out of the ordinary. The pain gradually increased, and he began to feel weakness in his left arm. Kerrie (his mum) insisted on an MRI.
To be honest, we didn’t think it was anything major. Some of us thought he was exaggerating to get out of school.
If only. The MRI revealed a mass on his spinal cord and a biopsy was ordered.
None of us were ready for the results.
The doctors informed us that Cal had a cancerous spinal tumour – in medical terminology it’s known as Astrocytoma or Glioma. It’s located in his spinal cord between his C1 to C5 vertebrae.
Due to its location, it’s inoperable. The only treatment is a minimum 12 months oncology treatment using chemotherapy and perhaps radiotherapy down the track. He will also need ongoing care, treatment and rehabilitation for years to come due to the damage the tumour is doing to his nervous system.
Cal has now lost the use of not only his left arm but has also lost approximately 80% of the use of his right arm. He is also having difficulty walking and now requires an AFO on his left leg to walk and often needs the use of a wheelchair. He is nearly up to his sixth round of chemo and is currently in the middle of a three week stay in the fantastic Monash Children's Hospital in Clayton receiving treatment and rehabilitation.
This illness has affected every part of Cal’s life. He hasn’t attended school since March, can’t socialize with his friends and can’t participate in tennis or army cadets. The emotional toll this is taking on Cal is heartbreaking.
We are asking for your help to look after Cal. There is so much to be done.
We are asking for support so that his mother Kerrie and father James can take time off work to assist him on a daily basis and attend all of his treatments.
We would like to give Callum something positive to focus his energies on during this traumatic time in his life
We would love to take Cal to Harry Potter Land in America once he has completed all of his treatments, whenever that may be.
Callum keeps us going. No matter what he is going through he thinks of others before himself. His biggest priority is the happiness of others, and making sure his family is ok. He is a selfless young man who is doing his best to remain positive.
He doesn’t deserve this. Nobody does.
Please help us continue Callum’s story.
Thank you for your time and support.
Sincerely,
Callum’s family
xx
At fourteen years of age, he’s the baby of the family and the centre of his mum and dad’s lives.
He’s funny, kind, intelligent and incredibly cheeky. He’s a self-proclaimed meme king, obsessed with video games, a competitive tennis player, superhero fan and an integral part of his Army Cadet Unit at Beaconhills College in Pakenham.
He’s also the best son, brother and uncle that we could have asked for.
In February, Cal started experiencing some shoulder pain. It was just minor discomfort and soreness that was easily dismissed as a minor tennis injury by his doctor. However, a week or two later the pain was still there. An ultrasound revealed nothing out of the ordinary. The pain gradually increased, and he began to feel weakness in his left arm. Kerrie (his mum) insisted on an MRI.
To be honest, we didn’t think it was anything major. Some of us thought he was exaggerating to get out of school.
If only. The MRI revealed a mass on his spinal cord and a biopsy was ordered.
None of us were ready for the results.
The doctors informed us that Cal had a cancerous spinal tumour – in medical terminology it’s known as Astrocytoma or Glioma. It’s located in his spinal cord between his C1 to C5 vertebrae.
Due to its location, it’s inoperable. The only treatment is a minimum 12 months oncology treatment using chemotherapy and perhaps radiotherapy down the track. He will also need ongoing care, treatment and rehabilitation for years to come due to the damage the tumour is doing to his nervous system.
Cal has now lost the use of not only his left arm but has also lost approximately 80% of the use of his right arm. He is also having difficulty walking and now requires an AFO on his left leg to walk and often needs the use of a wheelchair. He is nearly up to his sixth round of chemo and is currently in the middle of a three week stay in the fantastic Monash Children's Hospital in Clayton receiving treatment and rehabilitation.
This illness has affected every part of Cal’s life. He hasn’t attended school since March, can’t socialize with his friends and can’t participate in tennis or army cadets. The emotional toll this is taking on Cal is heartbreaking.
We are asking for your help to look after Cal. There is so much to be done.
We are asking for support so that his mother Kerrie and father James can take time off work to assist him on a daily basis and attend all of his treatments.
We would like to give Callum something positive to focus his energies on during this traumatic time in his life
We would love to take Cal to Harry Potter Land in America once he has completed all of his treatments, whenever that may be.
Callum keeps us going. No matter what he is going through he thinks of others before himself. His biggest priority is the happiness of others, and making sure his family is ok. He is a selfless young man who is doing his best to remain positive.
He doesn’t deserve this. Nobody does.
Please help us continue Callum’s story.
Thank you for your time and support.
Sincerely,
Callum’s family
xx
Organizer
Sam White
Organizer
Pakenham VIC
