You are here: Neuroblastoma: Felix's story
Felix was a bright, fun and loving little boy with a wise head for someone so young.
When he was just four years old Felix mentioned that his back was hurting. His parents Matt and Colleen were concerned but not seriously worried, and the matter was lightly dismissed by doctors.
But when Felix later said that ‘it hurts when I laugh’ Matt and Colleen took him back to the doctors. They were shocked when a mass was found in their little boy’s abdomen and they were advised to take him straight to hospital.
Everything changed
“Our life completely changed that night,” recalls Matt. “Felix was diagnosed with high-risk, stage four neuroblastoma. We didn’t realise what neuroblastoma was – we’d never heard of it.”
Felix endured an aggressive treatment regime that included chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant. It was tough for Matt and Colleen seeing their little boy in pain and losing so much weight. “While his twin brother was growing, Felix was shrinking,” recalls Matt.
Felix’s fortitude
Despite the gruelling treatment he underwent, Felix was cheerful and upbeat and was unaware of the gravity of the disease.
“He just wanted to be at home, playing with his brother and sister. Felix’s fortitude gave us strength. We focused on making hospital appointments as fun as possible for Felix, his identical twin brother Elliot and big sister Grace. Colleen put bunting up in our hospital rooms and arranged an Easter egg hunt, things like that. We tried to make going to hospital as fun as possible,” recalls Matt.
The treatment took its toll
Felix fought the disease for two brave years but the many rounds of treatment and surgeries took their toll on his immune system and he just didn’t have any more strength to fight. Felix sadly passed away aged just six years old.
“We gathered around his bedside, talking to him, holding his hand, kissing him and telling him we loved him. Something he already knew without a doubt,” recalls Colleen.
The importance of research
This research is potentially life-changing for children fighting high-risk neuroblastoma and means so much to families like Felix’s.
“As many trials as possible are needed, as you can’t treat all children with neuroblastoma the same. These incredible researchers are dedicating their lives to helping find a cure to help children like Felix beat this devastating disease in the future,” says Matt.
Please help us fund this vital research project and help more children fight neuroblastoma.