FLORIDA MISSION FOR CANCER HELP
FAMILY SO GRATEFUL FOR SUPPORT
A FAMILY are preparing to fly to the USA for their 12-year-old son to get specialised cancer treatment.
Kaiden Pritchard, from Caernarfon, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma – a rare form of childhood cancer – after a lump was found in his mouth at the end of March.
Following treatment at Alder Hey in Liverpool, his family have now been told that Kaiden can travel more than 4,000 miles to a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, for proton specialised radiotherapy, where he will be expected to spend up to 10 weeks.
Friends of Kaiden are collecting money to help pay for mum and dad Hayley, 32, and Arwel, 31, to accompany him, as well as supporting family and friends to look after his brothers Kian, 10, Konner, nine, and Kelt, seven - pupils at Ysgol Maesincla, Caernarfon – with days out over the summer months.
Kaiden found the two-penny piece sized lump on his palate at the top of his mouth.
The tumour was removed and the family was told the rare form of cancer was treatable.
Kaiden, a Year 7 pupil of Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen, Caernarfon, faced having nine courses of chemotherapy over the best part of a year at Alder Hey. Speaking from his bedside, dad Arwel said: “We will be flying on June 26. Kaiden has had to have an operation this week to fit a feeding peg ready in his throat. We had the confirmation about the US on Wednesday and spoke to our consultant. We were very pleased.
“It’s easier for us to plan with our other children now. We have mixed emotions; pleased in a way but we will be missing our family and friends for 10 weeks.”
Arwel and Hayley were full of praise and gratitude for friends such as Bethan Denham and Annie Giles, who have contacted numerous companies to get complimentary tickets so that Kaiden’s brothers can enjoy “days out” while he and his parents are away in the US.
Arwel said: “It’s great for the lads. Their grandmothers and aunties will take them places and this will help the days to go past.”
They are due to return in early September, but may be able to travel home sooner if Kaiden has completed his chemotherapy and radiotherapy and doctors are satisfied with his blood count.
Arwel said: “We have to just get on with it. Kaiden has been great. He is very brave, fair play. He has his good days and bad.”
Last week, on a good day, Kaiden scored for his Cae Glyn team coached by his dad, helping them to beat Llewod Llanrug by 4-2.
Various fundraising events have taken place or are planned to support the family.
Last weekend saw a fancy dress pub crawl in Caernarfon, while Paul Mark Williams and his friend Dylan are cycling 160 miles in one day from Tyddewi (St David’s) to Caernarfon.
● To support the family, visit the ‘piggy-bank-i-kaiden-a’i-deulu’ Go Fund Me page.