The Incredible Izabel Sullivan
Izabel was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma, an aggressive malignant brain cancer, when she was just 4 years old.
Life saving Surgery, 6 weeks of radiation and intensive chemotherapy led to an acquired brain injury and several ongoing medical issues and permanent disabilities.
In addition, the tumour was removed from her brain and a shunt was inserted to drain the fluid. Unfortunately, during this process Izabel suffered a stroke. She was left unable to swallow, speak, sit, stand or even hold her own head up!
And now she is dealing with the medical and physical affects of cancer treatment on a daily basis…
Ataxic cerebral palsy, muscle damage. Hearing and vision impairment. Being unable to walk without support and having to use a wheelchair due to loss of balance and fatigue is a huge daily challenge for Izabel. Fatigue and cognitive function is also a massive daily hurdle for Izabel.
Although she has made huge progress Izabel still has to have thickened fluids in case she aspirates.
Izabel has not managed to return to school as it’s been vital for her to relearn basic life skills - such as getting dressed and brushing her teeth. Apart from which her daily routine has been lots of therapies to help regain her strength and retrain her brain to function and make new ‘pathways’.
When Izabel turned 8 she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, which was a huge set back, but still she never complains. This has been yet another ongoing challenge for her to cope with.
Since being diagnosed with brain cancer izabel has had regular Mri scans to monitor for relapse.
Sadly, her most recent scan has come back showing several large Noduals on her thyroid.
Blood tests, scans and a biopsy were then carried out and Izabels family were told that izabel has suspected thyroid cancer - caused by radiation from treatment for her original cancer!
Izabel has recently had an operation to remove her whole thyroid and the Nodules were sent away to be tested.
Then the bad news was confirmed, every parents nightmare…
Izabel is now fighting thyroid cancer!! It gets worse…
During the removal of these tumours they also confirmed that it was too late and that these malignant cells had already spread into her cardiovascular system!
Izabel is now recovering from her thyroid being removed and to give her the best chance of survival she’ll now have to endure nuclear medicine on September 8th.
She’ll be radioactive for a few days and will have to remain in an isolation room for this treatment at St Charles Gardiner hospital.
Mum, Zoe has to take special medication to protect herself from radiation as she enters the room only to administer insulin and reassure Izabel. Sadly she is only to sit at the doorway whilst Izabel goes through this treatment.
After the nuclear medicine is given they will scan izabel and pray that the cancer cells have not spread into any of her vital organs.
She will also have another MRI in September to check for cancer reoccurrence in her brain/spine.
Izabel has fought incredibly hard the last few years and through her journey has had to endure the most horrendous obstacles no child should ever have to fight. Yet she still smiles every day. She is a true inspiration to us all.
To say the past 5 years have been a challenge is an understatement!
Mum, Zoe said ‘Since Izabels diagnosis of brain cancer our lives have been a blur of hospital visits, therapies, operations, tests and fighting for her life’, It’s something I wouldn’t wish in my worst enemy’.
‘I never really thought about cancer before, never mind that a child would have to fight it!
But when it’s your child and youre helpless to fix it - it breaks you!’
So we are setting up this gofundme for Izabel to make whatever time she has on this earth as happy and as easy for her as we possibly can.
Weather it be a day out, a holiday or a piece of equipment she needs.
Let’s all pull together and donate what we can to help make life easier for this family.
