3 Peaks Challenge In Support For Zain & MCA Trust

My wife and our eldest daughter have just signed up for this year's three peaks challenge. They will be climbing three of the UK's tallest peaks across Scotland, England and Wales across 3 days, this coming June. 

They are going to complete this challenge in support for our Son Zain and the MCA Trust charity. 

Two weeks after Zain's 10th Birthday in July 2022, we had to take Zain to A&E after noticing some blood in his urine again. The first time was in January, we were sent home after bloods came back normal, and was advised that if it cleared in 48hrs not to come back and therefore as we now know, his Cancer was missed back in January. This time he was checked over and an ultrasound was scheduled for the next morning to further investigate. The following morning upon entering the room full of Consultants we knew something wasn't quite right, but nothing can prepare any parent for the news we were about to be told. Zain had suspected Kidney Cancer with a tumor the size of an egg on his Right Kidney. 

Zain was transferred over to Great Ormond St Hospital as our Hospital didn't have a Paediatric Cancer department. On July 29th 2022 he had a biopsy which confirmed our worst nightmare and was diagnosed with Stage 3 Renal Cell Carcinoma of his Kidney, having already spread to his nearby lymph nodes. August 9th he had his kidney and lymph nodes removed in a 5 hour procedure which had it's difficulties. The operation was a success with 100% of the tumors (a 2nd was discovered) being removed. 

You cannot imagine the relief we felt. He was nursed back to health over the following weeks, and was due to be scanned and monitored with MRI & CT Scans every 3 months for the next 3 years. 

Having returned to some kind of "Normal" Zain's first 3 month checkup was already upon us. No sooner had our lives started to look forward with hope, we were immediately back to the nightmare we had been living, with the unexpected news that his Cancer had already returned. Not only had it returned, we found out some weeks later that it had now spread to other parts of his body and was now stage 4 with just a 16% chance of surviving 5 years with the disease.

You learn a lot and quickly, when you are in a situation such as this...loads of information to absorb and take in, books to read, in order to better understand the Cancer Zain has, and what changes we could make at home with diet, immune system support and complimentary treatments that will help him stay as healthy as possible, given there is currently no paediatric drug to target Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma other than surgery. 

Zain continues to deal with this with extreme maturity and such a positive mindset, he has amazed us and we are so, so proud of him, as we continue to see him in good health as a result of the dietary changes and complimentary treatments. 

The support we have received as a family has been fantastic, friends, family and strangers have all help show Zain he is not alone in this, with Charities such as the MCA Trust have been kind enough to give Zain some memorable moments, most recently at his beloved Tottenham Hotspur after attending a game as well as kindly sending Zain to Disneyland Paris in the near future. 

The sole aim for this fundraiser is to A) give something back to the MCA Trust to ensure their brilliant work can continue for other kids in Zain's situation and to B) buy Zain a home hyperbaric oxygen chamber which is helping stay healthy as he can be. 

Unfortunately these don't come cheap, but will be paramount in his life long wellbeing. 

Whilst we fully appreciate that people's purse strings are tight, we would be extremely grateful for any funds you can donate no matter how big or small, as they will all go a long way.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in advance for their continued support and prayers.

Please share amongst your socials, and we will post updates on the progress of the challenge.

Kind Regards,

The Falzon Family