"The journey will be the same one that saved Oliver's life"
A grateful dad is marking the first anniversary of his son’s brain tumour diagnosis by walking the distance from his home to Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
David Howe, 38, will walk 32 miles this Saturday to replicate the life-saving journey his seven-year-old son Oliver took one year earlier.
At 4:30am on September 4th, 2020, Oliver walked into his parents’ bedroom feeling unwell.
Dad David recalls: “His exact words were ‘my brain hurts’. Within an hour, he was in and out of consciousness, so we rang for an ambulance.”
Oliver was taken to his local hospital, where a CT scan revealed a mass and a bleed on the brain. Within minutes, he was rushed to Sheffield Children’s in an ambulance.
Upon arrival, Oliver was sedated and underwent a detailed MRI scan, which revealed the seriousness of the mass. It was a rare, aggressive, and cancerous brain tumour.
Dad David continues: “Our family’s world was turned upside down. The surgery alone was very high risk, but without it we were told he wouldn’t be with us much longer.”
The same day, Oliver underwent life-saving brain surgery which lasted almost ten hours. It successfully removed 80% of the growth.
David adds: “When Oliver woke up shortly after, his first words were ‘my brain doesn’t hurt anymore’. It was only the start of our journey, but thanks to the efforts of the team at Sheffield Children’s on that day, he had the chance to get better.”
Several months of radiotherapy and high-dose isolation chemotherapy would follow for Oliver, which for his own health, saw him largely confined to a room on the Cancer and Leukaemia ward. His chemotherapy would span 109 days in total.
Thanks to the care he received at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, the remaining tumour has been shrunk by over 50% and is now in a stable condition.
David adds: “Sheffield Children’s Hospital are amazing. They have saved Oliver’s life and while we know that there is a very hard and challenging time ahead of us, we approach it with hope and positivity thanks to them.
“The staff on the Cancer and Leukaemia ward have become like a second a family at our home away from home. They made the hardest days bearable and continue to do whatever they can for Oliver. We will never be able to thank them enough.”
To express his gratitude, David will walk a total of 32 miles on September 4th and has already raised an incredible more than £2,000 for the charity appeal to transform the ward where Oliver received his treatment.
The money raised will help transform the Cancer and Leukaemia ward into a larger, brighter space with a better playroom in the heart of the ward.
It will maximise the view of Weston Park, making patients feel connected to the outside whilst they are getting better. There will also be improved spaces for parents like David to stay with their children.
David explains: “It will certainly be emotional. The 16-mile journey to Sheffield Children’s will be the same one which saved Oliver’s life. The journey home will then be the same one Oliver did recently after finishing his treatment.
“I hope that this walk will raise awareness of the amazing job the staff at the hospital too as well as support the charity effort for a new Cancer Ward.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us so far and been so generous in their donations, without the love of family, friends and work colleagues I don’t know how we would have made it through the last year. Thank you all.”
To support David’s walk for Oliver and Sheffield Children’s, click here.