By Lisa Parent

Community rallies around local family as 10-month-old baby battles cancer

Jul 4, 2023 | 6:36 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A local family is facing an unexpected and heartbreaking challenge. Their 10-month-old baby was diagnosed with cancer. However, with help from the community and support of each other, they are navigating the difficult diagnosis.

About a month ago, the family’s life was turned upside down. Baby Eric was diagnosed with intermediate infantile fibrosarcoma in his hand.

Eric’s mother Kathleen Donaldson said, “he’s had a bump on his hand since he was born, but it was really minuscule, really tiny, you couldn’t tell. When he turned about two months old, it started looking about the size of a pea”

This bump continued to grow, and was diagnosed by doctors as a hemangioma. As it got bigger, the family was referred to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, where a biopsy revealed the correct diagnosis. Eric’s mother Kathleen Donaldson says it’s been difficult to come to terms with.

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“It’s definitely not easy because for me as a mother, I’m supposed to protect him, and knowing that he’s had this since birth, it’s like I couldn’t protect him even though there’s nothing I know I could have done,” she said.

While the diagnosis is scary for the young family, doctors are confident in his treatment plan. Eric’s father Merle French says Eric starts oral chemo in a few weeks.

“We start on the chemo treatment and hopefully it will go down, the size of it. Hopefully they’ll be able to cut it out. If they can’t cut it out, they’re gonna continue with the chemo treatments until it disappears,” French explained.

The couple has had to travel to the children’s hospital almost every week for appointments, and it has been expensive. So French’s sister started a GoFundMe to assist with costs. Extended family and friends also help to alleviate the family’s stress.

“My family has been my biggest support. My mom and dad have been amazing. My, my dad lives in Edmonton, but he does as much as he can. He checks in like every two days to see how everything’s going. My mom has been amazing, she’s been taking Melody when we have to go during school days ‘cuz I don’t want to take Melody out of school,” Donaldson said.

The couple also looks to each other when things are especially hard.

French said, “when I’m weak, she’s strong, and when I’m strong, she’s weak. We work well together.”

Eric’s parents also say that despite all of the checkups, bloodwork and scans, Eric’s personality hasn’t changed.

“Oh, he definitely has personality. Like he’s very sarcastic, very smiley.”

Donaldson added, he is such a strong, stubborn little boy and he’s so happy all the time and I don’t want him to lose that happiness or stubbornness.”

Here is a link to the GoFundMe