Brennan was 15 when he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive bone cancer; 17 when he shattered his femur. He’s still fighting the disease and healing his leg, so, to make his days happier and more comfortable, Satan’s Little Helper sent him a brand-new chair.
After being diagnosed at the end of 2020, Brennan went through 14 rounds of chemotherapy over 10 months and needed a 10-hour surgery to remove cancer from his shoulder, along with some muscle, tendons and nerves, which has limited his mobility.
“He was a trampoliner and attended national competitions three times. He was working towards appearing for New Zealand, but his surgery stopped that,” explains his mum Michelle.
A series of unfortunate events
Brennan has had to re-set his focus and Michelle says he’s been philosophical about it all, even though there have been times when he’s struggled with his new ‘normal’.
“He’s an amazing kid. He doesn’t dwell on things too much but, if he sees others doing the things he used to do, he finds it hard.”
Following his initial treatment, things were going well before disaster struck again.
“After the first lockdown, he went to watch a meteor shower with his friends. On his way home he took a shortcut and fell off a cliff.”
The 4m drop broke his femur, which required a five-hour surgery to correct. The break was so bad, he’s only just started putting weight on it.
“After that, he got sick with pneumonia and ended up in hospital again,” adds Michelle.
It was during that hospital stay that doctors discovered Brennan had relapsed and started him on another six rounds of high-intensity chemotherapy.
Trying to keep spirits up
“Just before Christmas 2022, we were told his cancer is inoperable,” says Michelle. She pauses before talking again.
“His shoulder will never get better and his mobility won’t improve. His leg will, but it will take a few years for it to fully heal, because of the chemo. He’s scheduled to undergo more chemo and radiation.”
Satan’s Little Helper thought Brennan deserved a ‘pick-me-up', so we sent him a brand-new gaming chair.
“He’s much more comfortable now. His old chair was pretty cheap and he couldn’t sit in it for very long, but the one he has is amazing.”
Comfort is important but the chair is vital because of what it facilitates.
“It makes it a lot easier for him to connect with his friends, which is super important, as he’s had to spend so much time at home isolating and it’s hard for him to get out and about with his mates.
“His bedroom is below our lounge and we can hear him laughing with his mates. That’s the best thing ever and it’s provided a huge morale boost in the house.”