Meet Our Little Hero
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| Jacob before his diagnosis |
That is, until you look up.
Hanging on the wall is a large banner with multicoloured letters spelling out "JACOB'S JOURNEY", made for one of the two big fundraisers held in the young man's honour in 2009. Seeing that framed banner is when anyone comforted by the typicalness of Jacob's room is quickly reminded just how atypical his life has been.
Jacob loves his room. More specifically, he loves his bed. And who can blame him? For several long months, he slept not a single night in his family home. During that time, he lived at Ottawa's Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) with a brief stint at CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal, engaged in a battle no one saw coming.
In November of 2008, just a few weeks after starting kindergarten, Jacob's parents, Jason and Liliane, brought their son to the emergency room at CHEO, seeking answers to his concerning symptoms. The family doctor had previously dismissed Jacob's daily early morning vomiting as anxiety, but the Randells weren't convinced. Within hours, it was apparent they weren't going home anytime soon.
Jacob was diagnosed with an atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT). Put simply, he had an aggressive form of brain cancer that is difficult to treat. The prognosis was not good. To say Liliane and Jason were devastated would be an understatement. This was truly a parent's worst nightmare.
Much of what happened to Jacob is documented in his mother's journal entries on this blog. In short, he underwent many surgeries and treatments. He was subjected to a battery of tests: MRIs, CT scans, hundreds of blood tests, and much more. His hair fell out and his skin took on an ashen look. He lost vision in one eye and it was found he had already lost hearing in one ear. A feeding tube was put in his stomach, and the family was told he may never be able to eat again.
Many children never come back from this devastating illness, and there were times when it looked as though Jacob may not, either. He nearly lost the battle more than once, and there were whispers of simply "making him comfortable".
But Jacob was too young to know his odds. Therefore, through every trial, every treatment, every agonizing moment, he was a model of bravery. He very rarely complained. He showed courage, stamina and wisdom beyond his years.
Liliane had become pregnant just prior to Jacob's diagnosis, and had carried a baby boy through months of stress. On April 25, 2009, while Jacob was continuing to fight for his life, the Randells welcomed Liam to the family. Despite everything he was going through, Jacob found renewed strength and purpose in his role as a big brother. He now had someone very special to live for.
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| Liam visits Jacob in the hospital May 2009 |
With family and friends rallied around him, five-year-old Jacob stared death in the face and managed the unthinkable. On September 2, 2009, exactly 10 months after his diagnosis, the Randells were told that Jacob's cancer was gone. And, while this does not mean he's out of the woods for the rest of his life, it does mean he gets a second chance to live.
Since his miraculous test results, Jacob is living a six-year-old's life to the fullest. He plays with friends, takes his family on exciting outings, has gone back to school, and loves spending time with his little brother. To watch the Randell boys interact is to witness brotherly love on an entirely new level. Jacob beams when he talks about Liam, and can make his brother smile like nobody else. Liam graciously returns the favour.
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| Jacob and Liam September 2010 |
Simply put, the word "victim" is not in Jacob's vocabulary.
Written by Amanda Knox
