THE family of Bailon Johnson have again been thrust into emotional purgatory after the four-year-old was rushed to hospital with new complications last week.
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It comes just weeks after the Tamworth family was told Bailon was in remission from the cancer which has ravaged his tiny body for nearly 18 months.
Bailon’s father Randy, who has been by his son’s bedside at John Hunter Hospital since early last year, yesterday confirmed the sad news.
“The doctors have told us the cancer has come back ... he got very sick on Thursday night and was rushed to hospital,” Mr Johnson said.
“He’s in a lot of pain and suffering a lot of fevers. They’ve stopped treatment until they find the underlying problem.
“It’s a real setback. We were on the home stretch and only had a couple of months left of treatment before coming back to Tamworth.”
Doctors told Mr Johnson they had found new tumours in his son’s groin and right leg.
He is now pinning his faith on a revolutionary new treatment, which he hopes will rid Bailon of the cancer forever.
“I am worried and the doc tors seem pretty concerned,” Mr Johnson said.
“But what can you do? You’ve just got to hope it will work out.”
In more positive news for the family, Mr Johnson is running second in a nationwide father of the year competition.
Repco’s Dad of the Year, which closes next Monday, offers a $10,000 cash prize to the father with the highest number of online votes.
If he wins, Mr Johnson – a single father of four – has vowed to donate $2000 to neuroblastoma research and use the remaining prize to pay Bailon’s medical expenses.
“I’m very humbled by the whole thing,” Mr Johnson said.
“I just feel like I’m doing what any father normally would.”
The Johnsons have been the subject of a massive community fundraising effort since Bailon’s diagnosis.
To vote for Mr Johnson in Dad of the Year, visit dadoftheyear.com.au