Meet Jadyn. Like most two year olds, he is obsessed with Bluey, loves the Wiggles and enjoys running around outside every chance he gets.

But in July 2021, things started to change. Our active Jadyn started inexplicably losing weight, and stopped wanting to walk and play. Something was wrong and we organised for him to see a doctor. After being taken to hospital near his home on the south coast to be checked out, he was rushed to Sydney overnight – his family on the south coast anxiously awaiting answers.

His diagnosis in early September came as a shock: high risk Stage 4 Neuroblastoma which had already infected his bones and bone marrow. Needless to say, none of us expected this.

Neuroblastoma is almost exclusively a childhood cancer that starts in early nerve cells in the sympathetic nervous system. This means that tumours are often grouped above the kidneys, along the spine or in the neck and chest. For Jadyn, this meant 10 tumors throughout his little body, which had grown quickly and aggressively and was classified as Stage 4.

Jadyn’s treatment began in earnest. He has almost finished his first round of treatment: induction chemotherapy. Jadyn has been such a trooper – each cycle of chemotherapy knocks him about, where all he wants to do is snuggle and sleep. He also currently has a feeding tube because he cannot eat much on his own.

At this stage in his treatment, we are incredibly thankful that despite the scary beginning, his prognosis is good. But as stage 1 of his treatment concludes, we are looking at a long road ahead. There are four more stages to come in the next 18 months, including surgery, bone marrow transplants radiation therapy, and potentially more chemotherapy.

Even after his treatment concludes, Jadyn and his family are in this for the long haul. The treatment that will hopefully cure his cancer comes with a long list of potential long term side effects, including a weakened immune system, chronic pain, weight loss, kidney function problems, infections and temperatures, hair loss, digestion issues, long term fatigue, and easy bruising. While we are thankful for this treatment and the incredible doctors and nursing staff, realistically Jadyn could feel the effects of this for the rest of his life.

For Jadyn’s family, this has been an emotional and financial rollercoaster. With the wider family and support network based on the south coast of NSW, it has been a tough road for Jadyn’s mum, complicated even further by the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on family visitors. The family are so incredibly grateful for the support of the hospital who have organised accommodation for Jadyn and mum, so he can leave hospital, but still be close by for treatment.

With both his parents unable to work so they can focus on Jadyn’s treatment and recovery, we need your help. While he’s in Sydney, we hope to try and keep life outside treatment as normal as possible for Jadyn. We are so thankful for the generosity of free accommodation, but Jadyn’s mum still needs to pay for basic living expenses, like food, and medication that doesn’t come from the hospital. And, as COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease and family can visit again, the cost of petrol for frequent trips up and down the coast adds up. We also want to treat him to special activities – like visits to Taronga Zoo, Sydney Aquarium – so between his treatment he can be just like every other two year old.

You can help us give Jadyn a sense of normalcy while he’s here:

$20 will help pay for dinner one night

$50 will fund one car trip up and down the coast

$100 will pay for a special outing while extended family visit Sydney

With 18 months of treatment ahead, our prayer is that Jadyn’s prognosis continues to improve. Your support means the world to us and thank you in advance for all the care and support you’ve given to Jadyn. We are so thankful for everyone’s prayers and support.

We were also planning an extended family holiday to the snow to celebrate Jadyn’s fourth birthday. Now that this date coincides with the end of his treatment, we are determined to turn this dream into a reality. The last 18 months has been a rollercoaster and we want to celebrate being together as a family again.

HYPERLINK "https://www.neuroblastoma.org.au/Pages/FAQs/Category/what-is-neuroblastoma" https://www.neuroblastoma.org.au/Pages/FAQs/Category/what-is-neuroblastoma