Help the Fowlers

Today marks the day that life will never be the same. The day that has delivered the worst possible news to a beautiful family: “Your child has a brain tumor and it’s cancerous.”

I am reaching out to the community to help my dear friend and her family.

The Fowlers are a family of seven. Mom (Mandy), Dad (Paul), KeighArra (12), Avery (11), Zachery (11), Kayge (5) & Xander (3). This family, who are always so willing to help others even when they have little themselves, have already overcome so many challenges and obstacles in the last few years, they could really use some help right now.

On May 6th, Mandy brought Kayge to the emergency department with health concerns, as his face started drooping. The doctor diagnosed Bells Palsy, but as days past and his condition grew worse, his parents became more and more concerned. Kayge was no longer able to blink, was suffering vision loss and finally, on May 24th, began losing mobility and was unable to stand and move his left leg.

Obviously concerned, they returned to emerge and Mandy and Paul pushed the doctors to complete an MRI, which confirmed their worst nightmare. Kayge had a brain tumor. The tumor was now so large that it was pushing into his eye as well as parts of his brain that affect the nerves in his face. He cannot hear out of his left ear anymore and it has also made him very weak.

They were immediately transferred to Toronto Sick Kids Hospital and were advised that Doctors had strong beliefs that the tumor was cancerous.

Once at Sick Kids, doctors confirmed that he has the worst kind of brain tumour, which had wrapped itself around his brain stem. Kayge was going to start radiation immediately the following, May 26.

“The radiation will buy us time with him but they said he’s terminal.... that we have at most a year with him.... my entire world is shattered and I can’t breathe...”

They are not the type to ask for help, but with both Mandy and Paul recently starting new jobs, they don't have extended leaves or benefits. The financial burden of being away from their home town, their family, finding lodging and paying for meals all while trying to stay stong for their brave little guy will be difficult.

I want to help them as much as possible to ease this pain, if only a little, in the most basic way possible. Please help in anyway you can, small donations add up and can mean that they can eat for the day. Please help Kayge keep his parents by his side as they struggle through this nightmare.