Harry's Story
Harry & jaxon
"Where are you, Harry?" was written and illustrated by artist and classroom aid of 10 years, Sunny Ling when she felt the need to express in words, and later in paintings, where Harry had gone to his best friend Jaxon.
lee, Rebecca, AVa & Harry Horan
Harry was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma in August 2014 at the age of 3 1/2. Harry's tumor was wrapped around his right adrenal gland leading to his kidney. Not in a million years did we ever think we would hear the words 'your son has cancer and has a 50% chance of survival'. Harry's treatment plan was going to be long and brutal, meaning a lot of time spent in hospital.
We relocated from our home in Kambalda, WA to the Ronald McDonald House in Perth.
Harry commenced treatment almost immediately which consisted of five rounds of chemotherapy, surgery to remove the tumor (90% removed) stem cell transplant, high dose mega therapy, 20 rounds of radiation and six months of immunotherapy.
​
There was also a barrage of injections, CT scans, MIBG scans, blood and platelet transfusions, dressing changes, nasal gastric tubes and too many medications to count.
​
At the end of treatment scans in October 2015 we were given the news that Harry's scans were stable. During treatment scans always showed Harry had a small amount of residual tumor but as long as it didn't spread he would be ok.
​
Harry was required to be monitored every three to six months for the next five years to keep an eye the tumor.
​
Over the next three years we were elated after each scan that Harry's tumor had remained stable. In April 2019 at his 3 1/2 year checkup and scan, the doctor informed us that Harry had a new tumor in his neck.
​
We always knew that relapse was a possibility, however we were so close to the end and we thought he would be on the lucky ones. Relapsed Neuroblastoma only has a 10% survival rate.
​
We made the hardest decision of our lives and chose not to put Harry through more conventional therapies but to try and treat it and beat it with natural therapies.
​
Harry never wanted to lose this hair again or spend time in hospital and we wanted him to have the best quality of life he could in the time he had left.
​
Harry passed away peacefully in our arms on Friday 11th October 2019, five weeks before his 9th birthday. Harry will be forever 8.