AN Ipswich family has been left devastated after their six-week-old baby boy, Georgie, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer, prompting an outpouring of support from the community.
Parents Ebonye Morris and Bailey Grasso thought they were attending a routine check-up and immunisation appointment when doctors noticed something unusual about their son’s abdomen.
“My sister actually thought he had colic,” Georgie’s aunt, Laura Richter, said.
“He wasn’t gassy or anything, but his belly was quite hard. When she took him for his six-week needles, she mentioned it to the doctor – and the doctor could actually feel lumps from the outside.”
What followed was a flurry of scans and tests, leading to the heartbreaking diagnosis of stage M neuroblastoma – a rare cancer affecting just eight in every million children.
“It’s everywhere,” Ms Richter said.
“The lumps are starting to form on the outside of his skin now. It’s spread through to his liver, his little testicles, his legs, and lungs.”
Georgie started his first round of chemotherapy last Tuesday, the beginning of a gruelling four-round treatment plan, with his age adding complexity to the process.
“They’ve flown medicine in from America just to perform a CT scan on him,” Ms Richter said.
“We can’t use the CT dyes we have here because his little body is just too young. There’s also a specialist being flown up from Melbourne – she’s experienced with babies this age and with how rare this cancer is in newborns.”
The diagnosis has been especially heartbreaking for the young couple, who had been trying for a child for years.
“It’s their first baby,” said Ms Richter.
“My sister had an ectopic pregnancy two years ago. They’ve been together for 10 years. It’s devastating that they finally get their little miracle – and this happens.”
The family is now living day to day in the hospital, as Georgie’s condition evolves rapidly.
“They’re reassessing every single day because the cancers keep popping up,” Ms Richter said.
Loved ones and community members have launched Georgie’s Army – a fundraising and support campaign to help the family through this crisis.
“This is a battle no baby should ever have to fight, and no parent should have to face alone,” Ms Richter said.
Supporters can follow Georgie’s journey on social media using the hashtag #GeorgiesArmy or donate to the family’s fundraiser at: gofundme.com/f/georgies-army.
