Billy’s (4) parents describe their son as a whirlwind of joywho adored rugby, superheroes and Freddie Mercury. His laughter and energy could fill every room, but gradually he began to withdraw into himself – he suffered from nightmares and stomachaches, stopped enjoying rugby, became estranged from his friends and stopped playing with his sister Maddie, informs the portal.
Finally, even school suddenly became a source of anxiety for him and Ellie and Jamie (his parents) initially thought their son was suffering from separation anxiety from starting school. “He was crying and sobbing uncontrollably in front of the school and we had to carry him from the car to the school gate,” his mom described.
“By the end of October, he was having problems with his legs, becoming increasingly frustrated and drooling all the time. His eyes looked tired.” She clarified. When the boy began to have more and more problems walking, they began to suspect that it might be a brain tumor, although the general practitioner attributed the difficulties to anxiety. But tests revealed an inoperable, terminal diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) – the most aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer.
According to Brain Tumor Research, it occurs primarily in children and has an average survival rate of less than one year. Despite the fact that doctors assessed Billy’s prognosis as bleak, the parents hoped for a treatment that could prolong his life. “That’s when our world came crashing down, it’s hard to put into words. It’s a living hell and it’s dark, really dark.” Priznala Ellie.
She also described that her son was too young to understand the seriousness of his condition, so he only knew that he had a “drumstick” on his head. He was treated with radiotherapy and steroids, which caused unpleasant side effects, headaches and nausea. Subsequently, he was supposed to undergo immunotherapy, but the cancer progressed too quickly.
Despite everything, Billy was still looking forward to his fifth birthday on April 15, 2024. However, his relatives had to throw him an early birthday party as it became clear that he would not live to see his actual birthday. “The tumor stole his bright smile and beautiful eyes and it took away most of his ability to speak, leaving him slurred to articulate. His right eye was permanently closed and he was getting more and more tired and weaker. He took it all with a courage that broke my heart.” added. The boy finally breathed his last on March 31, 2024, five months after the diagnosis of the disease.
