A Mystical Raven Highlight Story: Sometimes there are stories that can help raise and maintain awareness to important subjects. That’s why we scour the archives and bring some of them back to help keep people in the know. They may be touching, and even make you shed a tear, but the health and wellbeing of children are what we value most.
This mother watched her son suffering from cancer for two long years. His little body just could not cope. She so bravely walked him through the rest of his life holding his hand and staying at his side.
Charlie Proctor faced Illness
Having cancer can be the most terrifying thing for most people. Adults have been fighting off the disease even before there was a name for it. This little boy was called Charlie Proctor. He was only 5 years old and he was fighting for his life.
In 2016, Charlie was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma. Having already gone into remission from liver cancer, he had to go through the whole thing again when cancer came back in full force. His mother, Amber Scholfield, 24 years old, and her husband, Ben Proctor (Charlie’s father) tried to raise funds so that he could get an organ transplant. The transplant would cost roughly £855,580, which is a lot of money. Unfortunately, the loving parents only raised half of that.
Hepatoblastoma Explained
If you had never heard of this disease before, you are not alone. This is a rare liver tumor that develops in only 10 to 15 children every year in the United Kingdom. It spreads from the liver and starts growing in other parts of the body, wreaking havoc on the young person’s health. Some symptoms include lethargy, losing weight rapidly and a low appetite, nausea and vomiting, feverish episodes, and jaundice (which is the yellowing of the skin due to liver failure).
There is very little research on this disease because it is so rare. The survival rates are statistically low, but as our technology improves, so does the statistic. Treatment plans include chemotherapy, removing the tumor in surgery, or the last resort would be to do an organ transplant which is very expensive, and the waiting lists are typically long.
Charlie’s Smile Captured the Hearts of his Followers
In her efforts to raise the money for his transplant, Amber set up a Facebook page to document his journey. It is called Charlie’s Chapter. The page has almost 40k followers. There was also a Go Fund Me page that raised over £359,000.
In her final post with Charlie, Amber wrote:
This will be the last photo I post of Charlie. As the days go by he deteriorates more and more. He no longer looks like Charlie. He’s so thin, I can see and feel every bone in his tiny body, his sunken face, his rolling eyes. Where has my chunky baby gone. Chunky from birth! He weighed 9’11lb! He’s was the cuddliest baby ever! He’s our chunk. I want everyone to remember Charlie for who he is. I want them to remember how he looked, how cheeky he was, how hilarious, how grumpy he was because right now Charlie isn’t any of those. He’s sad, he’s tired, he’s fed up and depressed. “I don’t know what to do anymore” are his main words.. today, he’s been very agitated, wanting to lay down, sit up, lay in bed, then on the beanbag, then on the sofa, then back upstairs and so on… charlie, at one point, turned to me and said in the most quiet, panting voice, ”Mummy, I’m so sorry for this” he was sorry because he wanted to move again and he felt he had to apologise for that? So now I know he also feels like he’s some what “in the way”. My heart broke! No child should feel the emotions Charlie is feeling. No Child! No parent should watch their child slowly go. Having to watch them deteriorate in this way is the most painful thing anyone will ever feel. If Charlie’s fate is to go, then I’d of rather the angels took him weeks ago before he suffered anymore. His AFP is that high now that the machine can no longer read them. His liver function are the same apart from his Bilirubin, which has doubled causing Charlie’s skin colour to be yellow. After this, with every update, I will share photos of Charlie in his better days.
How can I miss him so much when he’s led beside me? But I do. I miss him. I miss just having a chat, a cuddle that doesn’t cause pain. I miss squeezing him and kissing him all over. I miss his smile, knowing I won’t see that smile again other than in pictures, I will never hear charlie laugh again
please pray for a miracle
hold your babies tight and cuddle and kiss them so much. You don’t realise how lucky you are. We all take life for granted.
Charlie Took His Last Breath in His Mother’s Arms
The worst thing that any parent can imagine happening to their child was now happening to little Charlie. His body was too frail after fighting for his life for so long. This is nothing that a 5-year-old should endure. The treatments had taken their toll on his body, and he could not survive. Eventually, his body gave in, and little Charlie passed away in the comforts of his mother’s embrace. It is a tragic thing to lose a child, even more so when it is your own. She wrote:
“Last night at 23:14 my best friend, my world, Charlie, took his final breath.
‘He fell asleep peacefully cuddled in my arms with daddy’s arms wrapped around us. Our hearts are aching. The world has lost an incredible little boy.Charlie, you gave me chance to be a mum. You have been, not only our biggest inspiration but you have been an inspiration to thousands of people all over the world.
‘You showed me what love really means Charlie. Now it’s time to fly, I am so, so proud of you.
‘You fought this so hard. My baby, I’m hurting so much. I will forever miss you baby bum. Sweet dreams my baby.’
Charlie’s legacy still lives on through Charlie’s Chapter. Charlie would have celebrated his 9th birthday this past April, you can see Amber’s latest tribute to her son here.
If you would like to donate to help in the fight against childhood cancers, including hepatoblastoma you can do so here or through the charity of your choice.
Sources
- “Charlie Procter has died – and his last words to his mum were heartbreaking.” Manchester Evening News. Jon Macpherson. November 12, 2018
- “‘Mummy, I’m sorry for this’: Heartbreaking final words of boy, five, as he dies from cancer in his mother’s arms despite her desperate battle to raise £855,580 for a last-chance liver transplant.” Daily Mail. Lara Keay. November 12, 2018