Meet Malcolm
Meet Malcolm!
A tough little guy with a smile that can light up the room!
Letter From A Dream Parent:
September 25, 2018: A day to be remembered. It was the day our little warrior, Malcolm was born. Malcolm was born full-term without complication, and gained weight like a champ in the first 3 months of his life. I may have struggled as a first time mom, but he was certainly thriving. It was around Christmas time that we noticed a change in our son when we were visiting family in Ontario, as he fought off what we thought was a fairly common flu bug. But when his vomiting continued for days, and then weeks, we knew something was up. By the time Malcolm turned 4 months old, he was no longer keeping any breast milk down and was waking every hour during the night screaming in pain.
As a first time mother, I was reassured many times that this was all “normal” and things would get easier soon. It was hard to tell sometimes whether my mother’s intuition was correct or if I was over-reacting – whether it was a sleep regression, or acid reflux, or cause for concern. It was when we took Malcolm into the ER in our then-home of Churchill for the fourth time in two weeks that we finally got some answers.
Initially Malcolm was diagnosed with an ear infection, but when the antibiotics didn’t change anything and a mysterious red mark appeared on his head the nurses and doctors up north knew it was time to investigate further. The healthcare team we were working with took our concerns very seriously and saw that Malcolm’s condition had worsened in a few short days, so ordered a blood test to see if anything of concern showed up.
Unfortunately things did not look good, and within hours we were being flown down to Winnipeg and rushed to Children’s Hospital in an ambulance. We had packed an overnight bag with intentions to return to Churchill in the next few days with a healthy son. We soon learned that we wouldn’t be seeing Churchill again for a LONG time.
Pictured: Malcolm’s mom, Carolyn with Malcolm as a baby - still all smiles despite fighting some pretty tough stuff!
“I’ll never forget the first time he smiled (and giggled) at us, only 3 days into treatment... It was in that moment that I knew we were going to get through this.”
Here is an excerpt from my journal during our stay in the hospital:
January 26, 2019: The day our lives changed forever. At 4 months + 1 day, our baby Malcolm was diagnosed with Infant Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). We had known something wasn’t right for weeks, but couldn’t find an answer as to why. It was when we reached our breaking point in the ER for the fourth time in two weeks that things started looking more serious.
The night of Malcolm’s diagnosis stretched on and on, and we only managed to catch maybe 30 minutes of sleep each. It was a night I wouldn’t wish upon anyone, but something we had to endure. Our little guy was hooked up to so many machines I could barely recognize him. He slept for most of the first 24 hours as several tests were being completed.
Then started the IV chemo. And the lumbar punctures. And the bone marrow aspirates. In went the central line. It took several days for Malcolm’s fever to subside, and during that time he had some troubling reactions to the fluids entering his tiny little body.
I’ll never forget the first time he smiled (and giggled) at us, only 3 days into treatment. It had been weeks since we had seen him smile, but we had been so caught up in everything that we didn’t realize it until we saw him do it again. It was in that moment that I knew we were going to get through this.
A few more days passed, and we were introduced to The Dream Factory, and then to the Ronald McDonald House. Between these two incredible charities, we were able to maintain a sense of normalcy during our extended stay in the hospital. For the next few months, my husband and I alternated staying with Malcolm in the hospital room and staying at the Ronald McDonald House. Eventually, we realized Winnipeg was going to be home and moved into a rented house in the city.
After 7 months and 5 rounds of chemo therapy, Malcolm was discharged in September 2019 just before his first birthday. He is now four years old and is THRIVING. He absolutely loves the outdoors, and if he had it his way would live out there 24/7. We like to think this is because he was cooped up in an isolation room for a good portion of the first year of his life. Malcolm spends much of his time “park hopping” around Winnipeg, and seems to have a keen eye for adventure. He enjoys playing with cars (and helicopters, trains, and basically anything that moves!), helping out in the kitchen and tormenting his little sister McKenna when he’s at home. Malcolm is the light of our lives and has taught us the true importance of living in the moment.
One of Malcolm’s first words was “beluga” (bu-ga-ga), and he has always been drawn to this very special creature native to the place where he spent his first few months as a baby. When asked what he might be interested in doing for his Dream, it became apparent quite quickly that we would be heading back to his first home of Churchill. The prospect of travelling to a place that not only has belugas, but also has airplanes, helicopters, trains, Tundra Buggies, boats, and ATVs has Malcolm beaming with excitement. Churchill has and always will have a piece of our hearts, and we can’t wait to get back to where it all started as a family with our little warrior in tow.
Leading up to his Dream Trip, Malcolm visited the “Journey to Churchill” exhibit at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. Malcolm got a special VIP tourn and even got to feed a polar bear!
Malcolm’s dream came true!
Malcolm and his family were greeted at the Churchill airport to with signs and balloons to start their adventure. He and his family got to experience two beluga whale tours and both time, the whales swam right up to the boat! The family also had the chance to spend time with friends that they haven’t seen in a long time. It was an unforgettable trip!
“I have so many words for this trip, and yet all I can say is I’m ever so grateful,” Malcolm’s mom says. “We’re still processing everything we experienced in the best of ways, and I know we will all remember this trip for the rest of our lives!”
