A Nakusp family is opening up about their daughter’s battle with cancer in hopes of inspiring support for the BC Children’s Hospital.
In June, Brent and Carly’s six-year-old daughter, Isabella, came down with a stomach flu that wouldn’t go away.
A paediatrician in Trail located a tumour in her kidney. As a result, she was rushed to BC Children’s Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a Wilms tumour, a cancer that develops from kidney cells.
“From there, they also discovered that the tumour had entered her CV, which is like a vein that goes up towards the heart. So it was actually encroaching on her heart, which I think stopped her from being able to play. She just… she just was run down. And then, from there, the team at BC Children’s Hospital took the reins.”
Within 24 hours, Isabella began chemotherapy, which kicked in almost immediately.
“Within that timeframe, from when we arrived until the chemotherapy kicked in, she had pretty much gained and lost about 10 kilos in nine days. And we’re talking, she’s six years old, so she really ballooned out. And that’s when we knew something was happening — that the chemo was working.”
At this point, the team at BC Children’s Hospital began preparing Isabella for surgery to remove the tumour. Her family refers to this surgery as her “Everest.”
“So, the biggest part for a Wilms tumour is actually the removal of the tumour itself. But Isabella’s was a little bit different because not only was it on the kidney, they also had to find a way to remove the pieces that were going up towards the heart. The surgery was 12 hours long, and our little Isabella took everything they threw at her. Now, we call her Isabella the Incredible.”
Isabella spent the next ten days in recovery and underwent more rounds of chemotherapy, followed by radiation.
Since then, Isabella has been taking her recovery one day at a time, with the support of the dedicated experts at BC Children’s Hospital, who are working tirelessly to treat her cancer. Her last treatment is scheduled for December 27.
While she won’t be able to make it home for Christmas, she will be surrounded by her family—and that’s what matters most to her. The family plans to head home for New Year’s.
Throughout her journey, Brent, Carly, and her sister, Gabriella, have been by her side, helping the hospital feel more like a home away from home.
Giving hope
When asked about their experience at BC Children’s Hospital, both Brent and Carly were eager to comment.
“We want to show from the mountains how amazing BC Children’s Hospital is, and especially Isabella’s care team. We have no problem sharing her story because we’re just so blessed and proud to be a part of this team,” said Brent.
The family shared how the hospital’s Child Life program allowed Isabella to be a part of her own decision-making, with a focus on making the experience better.
“Child Life… they’re just this specialized group of individuals who are so in tune. They’re just lovely, and they roll into the room, see you, read the room, and feel what your child needs in order to make their day better,” explained Carly.
It made such an impact on Isabella that she now wants to become a Child Life Specialist when she grows up.
The experience was hard on the whole family, but they were grateful to have taken it on together.
Her older sister, Gabriella, utilized the facility’s Sibling Support Centre consistently. It allowed her to be part of decision-making for her sister’s care and ensured she also felt supported.
“Our oldest daughter could go interact with other kids who have their siblings as patients. There was a whole bunch of activities that the Sibling Centre provided for the siblings to engage in. So that was not unseen for us. Gabriella played a role in a lot of what happened; she was part of the conversation. And in doing that, she has become Isabella’s number one support.”
Their experience has changed their perception of the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, as they saw firsthand how critical its research and resources are to families like theirs.
“I’ve been aware of BC Children’s Hospital before. I’ve bought fundraiser tickets and things like that. But now, being an actual patient and experiencing what actually happens here… the level of care is world-class. All of the kids and parents really benefit from the gifts that donors give and the research. We benefited incredibly from the research on her surgery. You give what you give, but you’re giving hope.”
For more information on the BC Children’s Hospital, and to donate, click here.
Be the first to know! Don’t miss out on breaking news and daily updates in your area. Sign up to MyNelsonNow News Alerts.
