In the veritable vortex of every parent’s most unthinkable horror, Kathleen Patterson and her family are plunged. Their young son, Calum MacDonald, is gripped by a grave illness. The winsome three-year-old has been cruelly beset by the malevolent spectre of leukemia.
The diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, featuring a gene type of monosomy seven, bespeaks a bleak prognosis according to Patterson. No more than a toddler, Calum received this harrowing diagnosis on October 11, a day tattooed with painful clarity on the family’s hearts.
“Surreal is a term I’ve wielded frequently in life,” Patterson shared. “It wasn’t until the dreaded word ‘leukemia’ crashed into our reality that I truly grasped its disquieting essence.”
Despite the darkest of medical clouds that has descended, Calum’s spirits remain unvanquished. He celebrated the recent Halloween within the comforting embrace of the IWK hospital, alongside his eight-year-old brother, Lachlan. Patterson describes their hospital-wide candy hunt, amusingly noting, “they garnered far more confectionery spoils than could’ve been canvassed from our entire neighborhood.”
Having already braved one round of chemotherapy, a battle that decimated his platelets along with other elements vital to health, Calum stands poised for continued combat. He requires a steady improvement in his blood count levels prior to undergoing a second chemotherapy session.
Three rounds of this punishing treatment set the stage for his bone marrow transplant. This life-altering procedure is slated to take place in the bustling city of Toronto, anticipated to be scheduled beyond the holiday season.
In a heartfelt outpouring of support, Angela Pennell has rallied the community, establishing a GoFundMe page to assist the beleaguered family. But monetary contributions are not the only avenue of help, Pennell insists. She strongly encourages public blood donations, emphasizing that “blood and platelets truly form the cornerstone of assistance that families such as Calum’s, and countless children in his stead, desperately require.”
For Patterson and her family, their gratitude towards their community and the dedicated hospital staff helping them through this ordeal is immense. “Every single person in this hospital is incontrovertibly incredible,” she conveys. As they forge ahead on their challenging journey, their spirits are buoyed by the unwavering support surrounding them.
