Charlie spent 4 months in hospital while undergoing a Bone Marrow Transplant in 2020. During that time he received excellent care, but the one thing that was missing was access to a physiotherapist.
During the transplant process, Charlie was bed bound for weeks and his parents were not only worried that the transplant wouldn’t take, but also that their little boy would be too weak to walk again. One day he finally tried standing again, but after so many weeks in bed, his muscle mass had wasted away and Charlie was just skin and bone, barely able to take a few very wobbly steps.
Despite his parents asking weekly if he could see someone, and even though kids with other conditions down the hall were being seen multiple times a week by the physio, nothing ever eventuated for Charlie.
His parents were devastated to see him so skinny, and frustrated that they were unable to have access to a physio for the weeks while he was bed bound. To be given exercises to do, or equipment to use would have helped so much.
Just days before Charlie lost his battle with cancer, a play therapist finally came. But much to his disappointment, the exercise bike that was brought was the wrong size, and as excited as he was to use it, he simply couldn’t.
Little Big Steps extends our deepest condolences to Charlie’s family, and in particular Kelly, Charlie’s mother. From the bottom of our hearts we would like to express how grateful we are for you sharing your story with us as excrutiatingly painful it must be. We promise to continue the fight for Charlie and for all of the other children currently battling with cancer. It is our mission to ensure that no child undergoing treatment for cancer misses out on seeing a physiotherapist.
In memory of Charlie
