Baby to undergo stronger chemo after rare brain tumour got bigger after first round

Declan's brain tumour was discovered to be cancerous after it grew in size following chemotherapy. Photo / Supplied

Baby Declan, just 5-and-a-half months old, is preparing for stronger chemotherapy after surgeons removed most of a large brain tumour at Auckland’s Starship Hospital.

Last Monday, Declan underwent surgery at Auckland’s Starship Hospital to remove the choroid plexus papilloma, a rare brain tumour.

Despite a five-day round of chemo in November aimed at shrinking the tumour, it continued to expand.

The large scar left after Declan's operation to remove his brain tumour. Photo / Supplied

Doctors acted quickly and flew Declan back to Starship for the operation, his mother Emma McComb told the Herald.

McComb said Declan would have to fully recover from the operation, which removed most of the tumour, before starting a nine-day round of stronger chemo in the new year.

“It’s not the news that we wanted to get right before Christmas, but he’s a little fighter.”

You would not be able to tell the hardship Declan has been through by the look on his face, said McComb.

“He’s so happy, laughing away and looks like there’s nothing even wrong with him. The nurses are all over him. He was getting passed around last night like a pass-the-parcel.

“He doesn’t even look sick, and that’s what makes it so heartbreaking.”

McComb has been travelling between Levin, where she looks after her two other children, and Auckland for Declan’s treatment.

Declan’s father, Jay Fish, has been staying in Auckland with him.

McComb’s 9-year-old son has autism and travels with her to Auckland, usually for four-day stints.

The tumour in Declan's brain grew after he underwent chemotherapy. Photo / Supplied

The situation has taken a toll on McComb, who struggles to sleep and does not feel like eating.

“Going places and seeing other babies and kids and just thinking of Declan, and I’m just like, ‘Why? Why my baby?’ But you’ve just got to fight for them.”

The timing of the circumstances has not made things any easier, she said.

“I haven’t even started Christmas shopping for my other kids.

“I just haven’t had the energy or the strength. Christmas should be a happy, fun time and instead it’s not.”

A Givealittle page has been set up by Declan’s godmother to support the travel costs.

Some of the funds will go towards bringing Fish’s family members to New Zealand to be with him, as all of his relatives live in the United Kingdom, McComb said.

Declan’s godmother set up a Give a Little page to support his parents as they travel between Levin and Auckland for his treatment. Photo / Supplied

McComb first realised something was wrong in late October when her friend noticed Declan’s fontanelle was larger than normal.

An MRI at Wellington Hospital then found a 4cm tumour in Declan’s brain, which McComb later learned was a choroid plexus papilloma.

McComb said he never showed any symptoms of being ill, like vomiting or acting unhappy, apart from the fontanelle, she said.

Nobody knew their child better than themselves, but some things could go unnoticed when with them every day, she said.

Her plea to new parents was to always look for signs and to get their midwife or Plunket nurse to check the fontanelle at every check-up.

McComb said she and Declan’s father would continue to fight alongside him.

“This is not going to be the end.”

Since the first article on Declan was published in the Herald in mid-November, the family have received helpful support, she said.