In August last year, Sudbury.com ran a story about the first GoFundMe campaign to help ease the financial burden for Jackson Twain’s family as they stay with him at Sick Kids, where he is receiving radiation treatments.
In August of 2021, Jackson was diagnosed with a rhabdoid tumour in his sacrum (lower spine). This cancer prognosis is grim as the survival rate is 20 per cent, said his aunt, Randi-Leigh Pomerleau, who is staying in Toronto with Jackson while he undergoes treatment. Jackson’s grandmother is also there.
During the beginning stages of his care plan, Jackson’s family was told to expect surgery, from which it would take the little boy years to recover, as they would remove a large portion of Jackson’s spine, nerves, surrounding tissue and function, ultimately completely disconnecting his lower half from the top and leaving a very large gap in his abdomen, said Pomerleau.
After a lot of consideration and team meetings, SickKids and his care team were keen to suggest trying radiation before what would now be considered “rescue surgery.”
“Originally, we were told radiation is very resistant to his type of cancer,” said Pomerleau. “However, they were willing to try. We are hopeful that radiation will be a success, saving Jackson from a much different quality of life, or save him from his cancer altogether and beating the odds,” said Pomerleau.
The first GoFundMe campaign doubled its $2,500 goals, raising $5,120 with 95 donations.
Now, another campaign has been started to help ease some of the financial burden as Jackson remains at Sick Kids in Toronto.
Pomerleau, who is organizing the campaign, said Jackson is nearing the halfway point of his treatments.
“Jackson has remained positive and is making giant leaps and bounds in terms of recovery,” Pomerleau said. We are unbelievably proud of him.
“We know this little guy has an amazing amount of fight in him and want to assist him any way we possibly can. This means also helping in raising funds to make his stay in Toronto possible with the caregivers he needs.”
Pomerleau said since they have been in Toronto, and since Jackson has been receiving radiation, he has been improving steadily.
He's using the bathroom, he's using his legs, which was not a possibility for him before due to his pain, and doctors are using way less pain medication, Pomerleau said.
“So we're really hopeful that radiation is helping. He's doing amazing. Doctors are amazed by him.”
The money raised will help cover the cost of Jackson’s aunt and grandmother being away from home for so long as the costs care plenty. The funds will also be used to pay for things like catheters, pain relief medical devices, skin care and bathing items for sensitive skin, and for other things just to help keep up Jackson’s spirits while he’s undergoing treatment.
“We’ve had many expected and unexpected costs along the way that we are trying to take in stride, but it does leave us with some extra anxiety over using our own savings and credit.”
Should the campaign pick up and they raise enough money, pomerleau said they will be planning for Jackson’s parents and siblings to come visit.
Jackson has a newborn baby brother at home, as well as a nine-year-old sister, a three-year-old sister and his parents.
As of right now, funds are tight, so doing this out of pocket isn’t possible, said Pomerleau.
“They don’t have a vehicle, nor do they have the funds and resources to book and pay for a place to stay while here, among other travel costs. Ideally we would love for them to visit since Jackson is only four and is missing his family very much.”
Pomerleau said the family is grateful for everything they've gotten so far. She said with her own family here in Sudbury, it’s nearing the time she will need to return home.
“I'm staying as long as I can to try to help, but I am going to eventually have to leave, and it'll be my mom here with Jackson,” she said.
