Rosie-May’s Story
Meet Brave Bobby!
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He loves Play Doh, wearing a fedora hat, and eating his chips with a knife and fork. As the nurses say, “Bobby dances to the beat of his own drum.”
When Bobby was diagnosed with leukaemia in October 2021, he was rushed to emergency surgery the very next day. A central line was inserted so he could start receiving treatment immediately. His mum, Ness, says Bobby got “every kind of side-effect” from the chemo. He became so sick he needed an emergency MRI and CT scan, where a 12-centimetre clot was found in his brain. Now Bobby needs blood-thinning injections twice a day, on top of all the other painful treatments he endures. But worst of all, he is in hospital so much that he is isolated from his much-loved four brothers and sisters.
Bobby’s mum, Ness, explains,
“It’s mentally and physically draining on the other kids. Charlie, his older sister, is very close to Bobby and she has found it extremely hard. She has separation anxiety now. She gets very worried when we have to go to hospital or something bad happens. It’s all a lot, especially financially.
“It has been the hardest nine months of our lives, especially watching Bobby go through something that no parent or person should ever see – a child suffer – and listening to other kids beg in pain and scream while you’re in hospital. It’s heartbreaking.”
In October 2023, Bobby had his last dose of chemotherapy.
The family are looking forward to the day that Bobby completes his treatment, and he gets to ring the bell. To celebrate, Vanessa and her partner are getting married. “We’re having a celebration, and it will be for the family and for Bobby.
“We haven’t been able to celebrate very much in the past two years. But now we can celebrate Bobby being still here after the amount of fighting he has done and what he’s been through. Because Bobby was very sick but he’s still here. He’s still fighting.”
HEAR FROM BOBBY’S MUM VANESSA
00:00:05:22 – 00:00:14:06
Vanessa (Bobby’s mum)
Bobby has been diagnosed with T-cell leukaemia, and we’ve been in treatment for seven months.
00:00:17:10 – 00:00:44:07
Vanessa (Bobby’s mum)
Bobby actually just celebrated his second birthday and we noticed signs that he just wasn’t himself. He was tired. He was off his food and he had bruises all over his legs. We came in and he got tested and literally an hour later we were told that he had cancer. As a mum, especially with a child with cancer, it’s just hard just to see them like this.
00:00:44:16 – 00:01:00:11
Vanessa (Bobby’s mum)
It’s heartbreaking to see a child so sick and struggling to get through this. To fight cancer. You should never see your child go through this. No child deserves this at all.
00:01:03:14 – 00:01:26:16
Vanessa (Bobby’s mum)
The hardest part is being away from the kids. They struggle, especially to be away from Bobby and when we have to be in hospital, admitted for weeks, months at a time. The best thing about Camp Quality is that the siblings are able to be a part of this journey with Bobby and a part of it with them.
00:01:27:06 – 00:01:48:11
Vanessa (Bobby’s mum)
They can actually, it’s not just about Bobby, it’s about them as well and they’re able to be kids with their brother in a safe environment. He just wants to be free and run around and play with his brothers and sisters and play at home and just be a normal kid. I can’t wait for that day. I really can’t… He’ll get there.
00:01:49:11 – 00:01:55:01
Vanessa (Bobby’s mum)
Wont you Bobby? Yeah. Yeah.
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Camp Quality has been there for Bobby and his family with Family Fun Days, where they can all have a good time together in a safe environment.
Ness says,
“It gives the opportunity for our family to be a family. We also have a Family Camp booked in for September and we are so looking forward to spending some quality time together, and letting the kids breathe as well – especially the older kids. It’s not just about Bobby, it’s about them, as well.”
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