Treatment & impact
William had been diagnosed with a brain tumour, Medulloblastoma, and would need an immediate operation. A bed was found at Kings College Hospital in London and within a week the tumour had been removed during an eleven hour operation. 95% of the tumour was removed but William’s mobility had been affected. This was such a hard thing for William to cope with but cope with it he did. William had a large tumour on his spine as well as many seedlings throughout his spine and brain. A biopsy of the tumour also showed it was the most aggressive type. It was unbelievable news and left us all devastated. We were told that William could have radiotherapy but the surgeon felt it would not work and that William would not survive for much longer. We were introduced to a consultant who worked at the Royal Marsden in Sutton. He was optimistic that William could indeed be helped by radiotherapy and chemotherapy and had a 30-50% chance of getting through it. This gave us the hope we needed.
William was due to take part in a clinical trial for the radiotherapy but the disease was progressing fast and a course of chemotherapy had to be given before radiotherapy which meant that William could not take part in the trial. William was very ill over Christmas 2005 while undergoing chemotherapy but managed to open some presents. Three days later, on his birthday, he was transferred to the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford. It had been snowing heavily and one lane of the M20 was closed due to the snow.
William was later transferred back to the Royal Marsden for six weeks of radiotherapy. William had to have a mask made for his face before radiotherapy could begin, it was an unpleasant experience having plaster of Paris applied to his whole face and then being peeled off. We moved into a flat owned by the Marsden and took William each day for his radiotherapy. William started to improve but the sickness caused him to lose his appetite. He also lost his beautiful auburn hair.
William coped well with the radiotherapy and it certainly did not stop him from playing on his play station. He also continued to enjoy his favourite TV programmes, especially ‘Little Britain’, and following his favourite football team, Chelsea. Whilst at the Marsden he loved to attend the schoolroom and, if that was closed, the playroom where a play specialist would assist William in making some wonderful creations.
Despite the radical treatment William was receiving he remained as active as he could be both mentally and physically. He was eager to participate in physiotherapy sessions to help him regain his balance and later his walking. After the radiotherapy had finished we returned home after being away for four months. It seemed strange to be home at first but it was not long before William was strong enough to walk upstairs to his bedroom. We had achieved some sort of normality and I returned to work with the wonderful help from my sister-in-law, Sue, who looked after William for me whilst I was at work. William loved to be back amongst his favourite toys including his massive collection of wrestler figures. He was also able to continue his education with assistance from a home tutor. William’s friends came to see him regularly and he greatly enjoyed playing on the play station with them or table football, the latter being a particular skill of William’s, where it proved hard for anyone to beat him!
Ten months of chemotherapy was to follow involving visiting the Royal Marsden once every six weeks with further treatment carried out by Community nurses at home. Again, the chemotherapy made William very sick leaving him with no appetite. He was also very tired. But William’s mobility was improving all the time and MRI scans were very encouraging; everything was going according to plan.
