Brave Dungiven tot battles brain tumour
Thursday, 21 August 2008
Five-year-old Trevor pictured at home with his mum Isobel and Sam Dougherty.
EVERY parent dreads the thought of their child becoming seriously ill, but for Dungiven parents Isobel and Sam Dougherty that terrible fear became reality when their little boy, Trevor, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in July 2007.
In the past year the brave five-year-old has undergone MRI scans, surgery, radiation treatment and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. When the chemo is finished his case will be reviewed and reassessed.
Many other children in Trevor's position are unable to handle the drugs which he is currently getting, but according to his mum, he is coping well. Isobel said he is in good form, and though he still gets some sickness, he has improved vastly since last year.
His parents believe they would never have got through the past year without the support of family and friends and the support of the charities, the NI Cancer Fund for Children (NICFC), and CLIC Sargent.
Isobel and Sam spoke to the Northern Constitution this week about their ordeal and their courageous son.
Isobel said: "I first noticed when Trevor would come home from playgroup that he was always tired, he would lay and rest, never having a lot of energy like our other children.
“Around February 2007 he called one morning that he couldn't get out of bed, we thought he had pins and needles. In April that year he came out in a rash and started complaining of headaches.
“He was admitted to Coleraine hospital in July 2007 suffering from constipation. He continued to complain of sore heads and sickness on his return home. The complaints were usually at 5am in the morning, then this increased to every morning and I thought it was a bug.
“Trevor was again taken to the doctor and admitted to hospital on Thursday, July 26, 2007. He was sent for a scan the next day and it was identified at this time that Trevor had a brain tumour.
“Trevor was booked in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children that night and they took the ambulance up to Belfast. The next day Trevor had to go for an MRI scan, he is the youngest child to go through the scanner un-sedated."
Sam added: "The MRI scan was like putting your head inside a piano and someone pressing the same note over and over again. Trevor had to lie still for 40 minutes. The scanner is very detailed in comparison to an ordinary scanner giving 4D images."
Isobel continued: "Sam came home that night and we were told to be at the Hospital the next day, Sunday, July 29, at 11am to meet the surgeon as Trevor was for theatre on Monday.
“We had no time to think or anything. When we met the surgeon he painted a very black picture. He told us that Trevor might not see, might not hear, might not talk, might not walk, might not eat and could even die on the table.
“We went to theatre that next morning, Sam carried Trevor through the doors, Trevor has a special teddy and silver ring, Sam returned with the teddy and the ring. We were told to leave the hospital for a few hours.
“After 5 pm we were told we could go up and see our son. We met the surgeon in the hall, he said he had done the best he could and a detailed scan would reveal how successful the operation had been.
“We went up and Trevor was laying conscious connected to the machines. He was talking; he was seeing he was feeling. Most of all he was there. He got out of intensive care the next day; everything settled although he was still sick.
“Trevor got home on the Friday, he had a plaster on the back of his head were they had operated."
Isobel and Sam were told that Trevor would have to have Radiation and Chemotherapy.
