Liams battle

How does someone who's recently been told their little boy has stage 4 neuroblastoma, and hates asking for help... ask for help? I'm not really sure, so please bear with me.

It started when Liam seemed to be sick and in pain for a month or so and not getting better. We initially assumed it was because he was teething and/or sick. After a while however and after a series of doctors' visits, phone consultations then finally a video call to an after-hours paediatrician who noticed that Liam looks pale, suggested we take him in for blood tests.

After some blood tests, we received a call from a doctor who said we need to get Liam to John Hunter hospital ASAP as his red blood cell counts were very low. What followed were 3 days of paediatricians and other doctors trying to figure out what was going on.

Liam was sent for an ultrasound Wednesday morning. That afternoon, 4 doctors walked into our room and said the words that no parent ever wants to hear: "The ultrasound picked up a mass in Liams abdomen, it's cancer and likely a neuroblastoma".

Thursday came around and Liam was sent for an MRI to find out if the cancer had spread. Even before his general anaesthesia had worn off, the oncologist waved us into a little room and gently broke the news that the cancer had spread to his bones, making it a stage 4 cancer. Needless to say, we were utterly shell shocked. He went on to say the cancer is still treatable, but it looks aggressive. They will have to do biopsies on the cancer to see how aggressive it was.

After a PET scan, primary tumour and bone marrow biopsies, it was discovered the cancer had a particular mutation in its genome that makes it more aggressive but thankfully not the most aggressive type.

This leads us to the reason I've started this GoFundMe. Due to the aggressive nature of Liams cancer, his chemo will also need to be aggressive. His treatment is going to take at least 16 months provided he doesn't have any hiccups along the way. E.g., infections due lower immunity during chemo or nasty side effects from chemo.

The Oncologist has advised that Liam will likely need 5 months or more in the hospital due to his treatment plan which will include: Chemo, surgery, stem cell transplant, radiation to primary tumour site and immunotherapy.

My wife and I have 2 kids and while she is in hospital with Liam, someone needs to be at home looking after our oldest, Connor.

My wife will have to take up to 2 years off work and has run out of maternity leave, carers leave, annual leave and long service leave after having Liam and I have recently taken up a new job and have no annual leave or carers leave left.

This leaves us with no income for 5 months or more depending on how Liam goes with his treatment. This has left us in a tight spot with rent, fuel for daily hospital trips, car maintenance, groceries, electricity, gas, internet, 2 mobiles etc.. to continue paying for, which is costing us over $1000 a week.

As I said in the beginning, I don't like asking for help so please don't feel obligated to donate. To anyone that is willing to donate, please know that if it's $1 or $100, My wife and I will be overwhelmingly grateful.

Thank you,

Matt and Kathy