When your young child is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness like leukaemia, it’s comforting to know you have family and friends you can lean on.
But for the Tatnell family, that support has stretched far beyond their loved ones, with the whole Cobar community, and others, rallying behind four-year-old Alastair as he undergoes months of intensive medical treatment in Sydney.
Before his diagnosis with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a fast growing blood cancer, Alastair was a happy, healthy little boy who loved being active and Monster Trucks.
“We started to notice small changes in his body and behaviour, then it escalated with a lump on his jaw that quickly grew,” Alastair’s mum, Pagan, said. In the space of just a few days, Pagan and her husband, Jesse, had to put their life in Cobar on hold and relocate to Sydney so Alastair could begin urgent treatment.
He is currently undergoing chemotherapy and intensive steroid treatment.
“The side effects of the medication have caused muscle weakness and he now uses a wheelchair to get to and from his room,” Pagan said.
“He can walk around inside the room, but he gets tired very quickly.”
Being by Alastair’s side has also meant the couple has been separated from their other two children, with Pagan’s mum, Leanne, moving in to help care for them.
Pagan’s best friend, Sheena Geppert, was devastated by the news and quickly set about rallying the community to support the much-loved family.
Sheena said the response has been overwhelming, with local sporting clubs, schools, workmates, businesses and friends all getting behind a variety of fundraising initiatives, including a major community fundraiser on August 15. (See Page 5 for details.)
Sheena said the fundraising would allow Pagan and Jesse to spend less time worrying about finances and more time focusing on what matters most—being there for their little boy as he fights his battle.
Pagan and Jesse are still coming to terms with Alastair’s diagnosis and navigating the mountain of information being provided by doctors, hospital staff and support services.
“If you think something is wrong, always trust your instincts as a parent and keep pushing until you get answers,” Pagan warned other parents.
The family has also been juggling travel, accommodation and everyday expenses but say they have been “absolutely overwhelmed” by the kindness, generosity and support shown by the Cobar community.
