Member of the Month July 2023

So far, Niko has received three lifesaving blood and platelet transfusions and has been in theatre for different procedures ten times. These theatre visits have been for essential lumbar punctures, bone marrow aspirations, biopsies, and chemotherapy infusions to help eradicate any existing Leukaemia cells and hopefully avoid them spreading to the spinal cord or his brain. Niko’s second theatre visit was to have a port-a-cath fitted, which will stay in place for the next few years until his treatment is complete. Niko’s parents were told to expect Niko to have a minimum of 13 rounds of chemotherapy. Each round includes chemotherapy drugs administered as an outpatient in hospital, theatre visits, injections, and a very strict medication schedule to be followed at home including oral chemotherapy. 

“Within such a short space of time, [we] have already been through so much. Due to the intensity of the treatment, Niko has been very weak; he became completely immobile and required assistance for everything, even to be able to remain in a sitting position. Considering he was a very strong-willed, independent boy before Leukaemia, this wasn’t easy for [us] to digest and adjust to. He lost his hair, was sick after every meal, every day for weeks, and ended up with extreme mouth ulcers, internal anal fissures, blisters, and extreme constipation.”