Hey everyone my names Stuart and my son Owen has cancer, more specifically acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. He was diagnosed in late Sept 2020 at just 3 years old. I am running the Cardiff Half Marathon in order to raise funds for Cancer Research Wales.

Our Story

The build up. Initially in late Aug 2020 Owen was admitted to Bridgend hospital because of a sore throat and one of his ear drums had burst. Unfortunately things went downhill pretty fast and Owen stopped eating, his other ear drum burst and he lost weight extremely fast. The decision was taken to transfer him to Noah's Ark Children's hospital in Cardiff for more specialist treatment. During the next 3 weeks Owen received copious amounts of antibiotics, a blood transfusion and a lumbar puncture to check for signs on cancer. None were found and finally Owen started to get better and although his hearing was permanently damaged in one ear he was given a clean bill of health and we were released.

The diagnosis. Owen was continuing to improve at home and getting back to his normal crazy toddler self. A week or so goes by and we are asked to bring Owen in for a routine blood test just to check his levels and make sure all the infection has gone. We go in, have blood taken and come home, at 5pm the hospital rings and asks us to bring Owen back in because they have found some anomalies. We go back in but this time we are taken to the Children's specialist cancer ward and we settled in for the night. The next day Dr Connor asks one of the nurses to look after Owen and we are taken into a separate room to have a chat. Dr Connor tells us that our son Owen has been diagnosed with leukaemia and that it is going to take 3 years to treat and that we need to start chemotherapy straight away. Our whole world fell apart, we cried, we got angry and all of a sudden we felt like the world was swallowing us up.

The treatment. Our initial stint in the Hospital lasts nearly 3 weeks and Owen receives multiple chemotherapy treatments and steroids as well as weekly lumbar punctures. At our review point we are told that Owen's cancer hasn't responded to the chemotherapy and that we are moved onto regiment C the most aggressive treatment for his cancer. His chemotherapy treatments increase and so do the side effects. Owen loses his appetite once again and has to have a tube fitted so that he can be fed. He loses his muscle mass around his legs and the steroids and chemotherapy attack his ankle joints and he loses the ability to walk. Finally the hair falls outs. He can't understand why he can't walk or why the nurses and Drs keep taking blood, or injecting him or why he constantly feels sick because of the medication.

The alternative family. All of this treatment takes a huge toll not just on Owen but mine and my wife's relationship. There have been times were we want to just curl up into a ball and hope it all goes away. Times where we have just sat in the car and cried wondering why. Both of our families have been extremely supportive and have gone above and beyond to help us. However what has helped even more is the system that Noah's Ark children's hospital have put in place to help families through the process. The play specialists that entertain the children to take their mind of the treatment and be an ear for parents to vent or just to get a cup of tea and toast. The charity latch that has provided financial and emotional support and takes the stress out of everything. The Drs that have always got time to chat and explain things in simple terms. Finally the nurses, whether that's the ward nurses or the home visit nurses, regardless of how busy they are, they will stop and chat, play with Owen and are the shining light that keeps the ward running. I cannot thank everyone enough. It really does feel like a family.

The light at the end. On the 12  of May 2021 Owen started the maintenance phase of his treatment. We are on the final hurdle "touch wood" and although this phase lasts for two years it means that Owen will have less side effects, his hair will return and his legs should start working again. He has even been able to go back to school.

I would like to thank all of you who have taken time out of your day to read through this story and I hope that you are able to contribute in anyway you can to help me reach the goal amount. I wish you all the best

Stuart.

A bit about Cancer Research Wales

Every 30 minutes, someone in Wales is diagnosed with cancer, and each week 171 families in Wales lose a loved one to cancer. Although survival rates are improving, this is still nearly 9,000 lives lost annually here in Wales. There are now over 130,000 people in Wales who are living with, or have had cancer; this number would almost fill Cardiffs Principality Stadium twice over, and by 2030 it is estimated that this figure will nearly double. As you can see, there has never been a greater need for research. Every penny that youre able to raise will be spent here in Wales, helping to support our life-saving research projects taking place in universities and hospitals throughout Wales. Were funding some of the worlds leading cancer research here in Wales. This ground-breaking research is helping more people survive cancer than ever before.