Childhood cancer story: How Rennae's child's cancer diagnosis affected her family

In honour of Cancer Research Awareness Week, Rennae Martin is bravely sharing her experience of being mum to a young child with cancer. Despite the fact he was given a 20% chance of survival, 13 years on from his initial diagnosis Samuel is doing well, but Rennae is motivated to share her story to highlight the need for cutting edge research - and what people like you can do to support it. 

Samuel (aged 17) returning to Seaworld, the very place he visited over a decade ago to celebrate finishing his treatment 

Samuel was my first born. His cancer diagnosis came as a devastating shock to us as he had been sick for so long, and I had been taking him to the doctors for months, who constantly sent me away.

I spent time talking to my peer group whom had no real experiences to share, talking to the older generation who told me he was going through a "stage" - and basically running myself ragged trying to be heard that there was something desperately wrong with my son.

This was horrendous for Samuel as by the time he was diagnosed his tumour was enormous and his whole body was breaking down.

He literally went to kindy in the morning via the school bus which he loved to ride, and I picked him up from the bus in the afternoon, and we went straight to the doctors (50km away).

By the evening we were in St John of God Murdoch.

The next day we knew he had a tumour but did not realise he had cancer. 3 days later we were told he had stage 4 neuroblastoma, and our world came crashing down. How things can change so desperately in the matter of days.

When we left for Perth I left my two girls in the care of their Grandparents. My middle daughter was two and my baby was just one, still in a cot and still being breast-fed.

I did not return home for three months, and we did not see our girls for approximately three weeks, as Samuel had deteriorated so quickly and his life was hanging in the balance.

My husband and I made the decision that he should return to the farm for the sake of the girls and all of our welfare, and Samuel and I remained in Perth, and soldiered on with weekend visits from dad and the girls.

Samuel (aged 5) recovering from an operation to remove his right kidney 

Samuel's diagnosis came at the end of a trial that had been in place for stage 4 neuroblastoma kids. We desperately wanted him on the trial but it had closed. However, we consider ourselves lucky to have been recipients of the most cutting edge technology that was available at the time that came on the back of that trial. 

Hence the importance of research. 

My hope from research more than anything is to find a CURE, and I know this is what everyone says, but just as importantly I hope they find the TRIGGER! For if we know what this is we can hopefully turn it off before any real damage is done.

Childhood cancer affects the whole family including friendship groups for both the child as well as the siblings and parents. Many people find it too difficult to deal with your circumstances and so they shut you out rather than invite you in.

Samuel had a lovely group of friends but the ravages of chemo and the extensive hospital stays saw those friendships dwindle, these children are so young and it's all just too much for the kids after a long while.

We went into our son's journey with a wide range of friendship groups, and confidence, and when we came out the other side we were quite literally on our own with just some immediate family and a very small group of friends by our side.

I believe the community in general wants to help, and they can help, but they just don't really know how.

A donation to Telethon Kids provides the gift of hope to a family like Samuel's. The hope that our researchers can continue to develop more effective cancer treatments with fewer side effects; the hope that one day, childhood cancer will be preventable.

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