Jack

In April our world changed forever.

After weeks of headaches and some vomiting, we took our son Jack, just four years old, to the emergency room. A doctor said the two words that no parent ever wants to hear: “brain tumour.”

In that moment, I felt like my legs would give way. All I wanted to do was scoop Jack up and run, as if I could somehow outrun this nightmare.

Just four days later, Jack underwent an eight-hour surgery at Temple Street to remove the tumour. His doctor described his recovery as “remarkable.” With the tumour gone, he had more energy, a bigger appetite, and for the first time in weeks, he was beginning to feel like himself again.

Then came the pathology results.  Cancer

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Even though we’d been warned it was a possibility, nothing prepares you for hearing those words. Jack would need both radiation and chemotherapy.

Because proton beam radiation isn’t available in Ireland, we had to travel to Germany for treatment. My mind was racing. How would we afford it? Where would we stay? What about our 10-month-old daughter?

That’s when we were introduced to the Gavin Glynn Foundation.

The doctors, nurses and social workers all told us, “John and his team will take care of everything.” They were right.

From the very first phone call, I felt a sense of calm. The support we received went far beyond financial help. John handled every detail, from organising accommodation close to the treatment centre to ensuring our apartment had everything we needed for our baby, including a cot and high chair.

For seven weeks, that apartment became our home away from home.

Being able to keep our family together meant everything. Facing childhood cancer is unimaginably hard. Facing it in a country where you don’t speak the language brings another layer of fear and uncertainty. The Gavin Glynn Foundation provided us with information on the town and everything we needed to know – from public transport to where to get a good pint.

Despite everything, we still found moments of joy.

We shared meals at the local Irish pub, walks in the park, and every day Jack looked forward to walking to the little café around the corner for his bubblegum ice cream—one of the only things he would eat due to the side affects of radiation.

Our daughter celebrated her first birthday in Germany with a visit to the aquarium – a unicorn balloon in tow.

Those moments became precious memories.

When Jack rang the bell to mark the end of his radiation treatment, one of the first things I did was send the video to John. It felt like the Gavin Glynn Foundation was celebrating alongside us.

Jack is about to begin chemotherapy, so his journey isn’t over yet. But we’ve learned to celebrate every milestone, every victory, no matter how small.

How do you ever say thank you to the people who carried your family through the darkest chapter of your lives?

You can’t.

But we’ll spend a lifetime trying.