When a 9-month-old is diagnosed with cancer …

It is a nightmare that parents dread, having their child diagnosed with a serious ailment such as cancer.

Childhood cancer remains a significant health concern in Jamaica where leukaemia, lymphoma, and brain tumours represent the most common types affecting children.

Born in November 2023, little Kayden Suba was living with his parents – mom Nicole Reid and dad Kevin Suba – in Burnt Savannah, Westmoreland. He was just a normal baby with normal behaviour patterns, until early August 2024 when his mother noticed some changes.

“He started throwing up after every meal,” Reid said. “I took him to the doctors; some of them said to change the feed, some said maybe he’s not agreeing with something, give him Gravol or other stuff. I tried all of those, they didn’t work. Then he started to lose weight, [it was] then I knew something was seriously wrong.”

Reid took her baby to another doctor, then another, before accessing the treatment that was needed.

“This doctor examined him and told me something was swollen; so they admitted him on September 7 last year. They did some tests and found out that the kidney had a tumour, so they referred him to Busta (Bustamante Hospital for Children), that’s where his surgery was done in October last year.”

Kayden spent over six weeks at the children’s hospital, and his mother was there with him right throughout. Every week, his father and siblings travelled from Westmoreland to visit.

But that wasn’t the end of the story.

“After he did his first surgery in October he had [a] blockage, so we had to go back in.

“Thank God he’s okay right now, they’re monitoring him now.”

After surgery, Kayden did chemotherapy treatment which ended in April.

Dream Weekend

Kayden, his parents and two siblings were guests at Moon Palace’s Dream Weekend in Ocho Rios, St Ann, a collaborative event with Lions Club of Mona which was celebrating Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Fortunately for the family, the impact of Kayden’s illness appears to be leaving no negative impact on them.

“I think it brought us together in some respects,” Reid said.

She said she learnt a valuable lesson as it relates to support.

“What I have learnt from this experience is that it’s important to have people around you; support is important. When I was there (at the hospital), I found a group of persons who were going through similar stuff, and we were there for each other and it made things easier.”

Reid suggests to other parents not to delay seeking help if they feel something is wrong with their child.

“If your child has one or two of the symptoms - if I had known about these [symptoms] I would have gotten help sooner - I say to parents, be more persistent in getting help. If your child is lagging, not playing like he or she used to, not eating much or even eat and keep throwing up, these are signs to show that something is wrong and you should seek help immediately. Don’t just take what one doctor says, try another one if you’re not satisfied.”

She is also very thankful for her son’s recovery.

“Thank God he is okay right now. I feel good because he’s okay, behaving like a normal boy, playing, making mischief.”

editorial@gleanerjm.com