Locked in the fight of his young life
A MUM has opened up about the terrifying moment her 13year-old son lost his vision, and Townsville doctors had to remove a tumour the size of a tennis ball from his brain.
Central Coast boy Jett Dow, 13, was on holiday in Mackay with his grandmother when he suddenly lost his vision on September 30.
An MRI revealed a large tennis ball-sized tumour and cyst located in the back of his head, pressing onto the optic part of his brain.
Jett was flown to Townsville University Hospital for surgery, and his mother, Sam
Dow immediately flew up from NSW to be by his side when doctors removed the tumour on October 4.
“I have to admit I was terrified,” she said.
“I didn’t know anything about Townsville or the hospital here, but they were amazing.
“The level of care here is beyond anything you can imagine.
“We’re so far from home, but they went the extra mile, and staff here would sit with my son and me for hours explaining what was happening to him.
“They saved my son’s life. They were so kind. They’re our angels.”
She said she wanted to give a special thank you to her son’s neurologists Dr Ramon Navarro Balbeuna and Dr Benjamin Mehigan, and paediatric doctors, Dr Arjun Chavan and Dr Rosie Doherty.
She said they were still conducting tests to determine what kind of tumour her son had.
They are hoping to return home to NSW in a few weeks, where Jett will continue to receive medical care.
“Jett’s vision still hasn’t returned, and we don’t know at this stage if it will,” Ms Dow said.
“He’s been such a brave boy through all of this.
“Looking at this size of the tumour, the neurologist told
me they were surprised he hadn’t been having seizures and that he would have been in significant pain every single day.”
She said before this incident, Jett had only been complaining of headaches and blurred vision on and off over the past 12 months, but when she took him to the doctors they said his eyes were functioning well.
A Gofundme appeal has been set up to help support Jett and his mum — who runs her own business — while he receives medical treatment.
If you would like to support them visit: https://gofund.me/679e8ccc
He’s been such a brave boy through all of this. SAM DOW