Team Jakey Boy ‘Step Up To Blood Cancer’ in support of Blood Cancer UK
- Love Ballymena
- Jul 4, 2021
- 3 min read
Young mum, Karen Oliver from Ballymena, has shared the story of her family’s journey since discovering that son Jake (4) was suffering from a form of cancer.
Karen decided to share her family’s personal story from the last year, as they embark upon a challenge, supported by friends, to complete 10,000 steps every day in July in aid of Blood Cancer UK.
“Last September my son Jake at the age of 4 should of been enjoying just starting primary school, making new friends and learning. However our normal life changed after Jake was rushed to The Royal Children’s Hospital in Belfast on 16 September 2020.
“Jake had been unwell for some time and doctors initially were treating him for what was thought to be chest infections and Asthma. On the night we were taken to the hospital by emergency ambulance Jake, barely able to breathe had to sleep upright. He had lost so much weight from the previous weeks of illness.
“Late that night as we stood by Jake’s bed, a consultant came in to his room and said to me, “Your child has cancer.””
As the family grappled with the news they had received, they learnt that young Jake had Stage 4 T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Doctors had to insert a central line in his arm, a nasogastric tube in his nose, and conduct a biopsy by Lumbar Puncture.
The medical professionals discovered Jake had a large mass that was crushing his lungs, heart and vessels.
Since that memorable and life-changing night for the Oliver family, Jake has endured numerous types of chemotherapy and a number of times along the way he became too ill to continue, resulting in ‘chemotherapy holds’, meaning that his medical plan had to be constantly adjusted and changed as his young body contended with both disease and treatment.
Life over the last months hasn‘t been easy for older sister Emelia (7) who has had to adjust to major changes in the family home. Often Emelia‘s day to day life has been impacted by the many medical appointments, some scheduled and some others coming as unexpected emergencies.
Mum Karen is very grateful for a range of services that have been working together for the family over the last months.
“A number of times we have needed the service of the Northern Ireland Blood
Bank for blood and platelet transfusions,” Karen said. “Jake’s chemotherapy sessions have made him very ill with Mucositis, liver problems, high blood pressure, and the main vessel to his heart has took some damage due to the mass and certain types of chemotherapy used.”
Karen continued: “The consultants keep a close eye on everything with scans, and they seem to be confident about Jake’s treatment. We follow their lead on it.”
Jake will has just commenced a long-term maintenance chemotherapy plan last month, on 9 June, that will continue until 2024.
“Jake has had a tough time fighting cancer for the last 10 months, but he has done so so well! We are all so proud of him! He will continue to fight until the end of his treatment in 2024!
“He cannot wait to ring the bell at the end of treatment. He stops to look at it every time in the Haematology and Oncology Unit. We are also so looking forward to the day when he will ring the end of treatment bell, and we’re hoping for the words ‘FULL REMISSION!’”
The family continue to be very careful and attentive to Jake, but are looking forward to making lots of new memories.
With the challenge of walking a total of 310,000 steps over July to raise funds for the vital work of Blood Cancer UK, with both Jake and his sister Emelia getting some steps done too, Karen concluded:
“So we are stepping up for Blood Cancer, and we’re stepping up for Jake. We would love all your support. Whether it’s a donation, or cheering us on as we are out
walking, it would be so appreciated!”
You can donate to the family’s fundraiser for Blood Cancer UK at the link below! Thank you.
𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗘:
