Inquest told of brave Reef’s cancer battle
AN inquest has been held into the death of a Newcastle youngster who courageously battled cancer for 12 years.
Reef Carneson died aged 12 at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary on June 4 after losing his fight with a type of skin cancer which is very rare in children.
The youngster was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when he was just five months old and had undergone a stem cell transplant before the age of one.
Reef went on to suffer complications as a result of the transplant and developed graft-versus-host disease, which is where the donated cells/bone marrow attack the body.
His family moved from South Africa to Los Angeles in America to obtain treatment for Reef and his condition improved for a while, but in 2014 he was diagnosed with a rare skin cancer in children called squamous cell carcinoma.
The following year the family moved to Cincinnati for treatment and Reef seemed to improve.
They moved to Newcastle in February this year following changes to immigration laws in the country, but shortly after arriving in the UK Reef’s cancer progressed rapidly.
He underwent scans at the Royal Victoria Infirmary which showed the cancer had spread and his condition deteriorated.
Reef died on June 4, leaving behind mum Lydia, dad Ryan, 41, and sisters Payten, 10, and Kenzi five. An inquest into his death was held at Newcastle Coroner’s Court on Monday.
Senior Coroner Karen Dilks ruled Reef “died due to natural causes and complications of treatment.”
During the hearing, a submitted statement from Dr Quentin Campbell Hewson from Great North Children’s Hospital said the cause of death was 1A: metastatic squamous cell carcinoma, 1B: stem cell transplant with associated graft versus host disease and 1C: infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Speaking in July, mum Lydia said: “He was just such a happy, loving, sweet, kind polite boy.
“His love of life and his inspiration inspired us to keep going.
“He wanted to fight and we rallied around him. He was just so brave.”