A toddler was identified with an incurable mind tumour the dimensions of a tennis ball after his dad and mom thought he had a ‘abdomen bug’.
Simply ten days after his first birthday, Lucas Garcia-Batalla was identified with a grade 3 anaplastic ependymoma — a quick rising malignant tumour.
His prognosis got here as a ‘shock’ to his dad and mom David Garcia Jurado, 42, and Laura Batalla, 38, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.
They assumed Lucas, who’s now six, had a abdomen bug simply earlier than his first birthday in 2019 when he turned torpid, did not cease vomiting and misplaced his urge for food.
However even after three main mind operations, 13 months of chemotherapy and two months of proton beam remedy, the tumour continues to develop.
Mr Garcia Jurado stated: ‘Simply earlier than his first birthday Lucas was sick.
‘He didn’t have a lot urge for food however we thought it was a abdomen bug.
‘He didn’t cease vomiting, he was torpid, and every little thing occurred so rapidly — it was not a sluggish development.
‘A number of days later, a CT scan revealed a large tumour on the again of his head — as huge as a tennis ball.
‘That was a really darkish second for me. I nonetheless have the image in my thoughts of my spouse holding Lucas and them telling us he had a mind tumour.’
After a CT scan revealed Lucas had a grade 3 anaplastic ependymoma he was transferred to The Royal Hospital for Youngsters and Younger Folks, Edinburgh the place he had a ten hour operation to take away the tumour — which was profitable.
Mr Garcia Jurado stated: ‘His first surgical procedure was simply two days after his prognosis.
‘They managed to take away every little thing, it was a profitable surgical procedure.
‘Lucas then had chemotherapy for 13 months, after that an MRI was okay — he was clear.’
Ependymomas are the most typical childhood mind tumour, with the common age of prognosis being five-years-old, the mind Tumour Charity says.
Round 30 youngsters are identified with ependymoma yearly within the UK.
Grade three ependymomas (anaplastic ependymomas) are quick rising and generally develop within the hindbrain — the realm of the mind which controls steadiness, motion, respiratory and blood stress.
Lack of steadiness, clumsy actions, complications, nausea and seizure are all telltale indicators.
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Regardless of Lucas’ profitable surgical procedure, three months after he completed his chemotherapy he relapsed in September 2020.
He underwent one other surgical procedure and was transferred to the Christie Hospital, Manchester the place he had two months of proton beam remedy — a kind of radiotherapy.
Mr Garcia Jurado stated: ‘We had hope for a yr after which in December 2021 he relapsed once more.
‘He had palliative surgical procedure in March 2022 to take away the tumour, once more, that was profitable.
‘After that in January 2023, he had experimental Gamma Knife surgical procedure — a kind of radiotherapy remedy.
‘It’s the primary time one thing like that has been executed to a four-year-old to cease or delay the expansion for a while.’
Sadly, in June 2023, an MRI scan revealed the tumour is constant to develop.
Mr Garcia Jurado stated there aren’t any extra remedy choices left for Lucas and they’re aiming to offer him one of the best life attainable.
He stated: ‘There aren’t any extra choices for him, what number of occasions are you able to open his head and have a surgical procedure?
‘In all of his journey, crucial factor is to maintain him alive however the unintended effects are actually tough.
‘Lucas is blind in the proper eye and deaf within the left ear.
‘It’s a miracle that he has been capable of go to high school. He has a terrific sense of humour, it’s unbelievable.
‘You wouldn’t consider what he has gone via.’
The daddy fears the tumour is only a ‘time bomb’ and Lucas may need only a yr left to stay.
However he’s studying to ‘stay with uncertainty’ and specializing in ‘having fun with the second’ and giving Lucas a ‘regular life’.
Catherine Fraher, director of providers and digital well being at The Mind Tumour Charity, stated: ‘We’re actually grateful to everybody who shares their – usually heartbreaking – story to lift consciousness of mind tumours.
‘We all know that each household offers with a mind tumour prognosis and its aftermath in their very own distinctive method.
‘That’s why The Mind Tumour Charity affords assist to anybody who wants it. It’s so necessary for them to know that they don’t seem to be alone.’
