How you can help battling baby Oscar’s recovery as he continues fight to get better
Baby Oscar Crane-Rawlinson, who has endured five operations in just over four weeks. Picture: Courtesy of the family - Credit: Archant
He has been described as a 'special little man with a big heart.'
And as brave Oscar Crane-Rawlinson was faced with his fifth operation in just four weeks on Wednesday, an appeal is under way to ensure the battling baby from Lowestoft has the 'best fighting chance to get better.'
Despite being left in lots of pain, nine-month-old Oscar has still been giving his parents Tessa Crane and Zac Rawlinson 'beautiful smiles.'
His family were faced with their worst nightmare last month after swelling on Oscar's fontanel was found, and a subsequent CT scan at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston showed he had fluid around his brain. An emergency trip to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge followed, and in the early hours of April 4, the family was told that a cancerous tumour had to be removed from Oscar's head.
Miss Crane said: 'Oscar had a large brain tumour in the middle of his head blocking all the ventricles, which caused the fluid build up. After MRI and CT scans Oscar had a seven-hour operation and the whole tumour was removed.'
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After the operation, and a few days into his recovery, the fluid around his brain started to rebuild rapidly, so further surgery was carried out to drain the fluid.
However fluid still started to build, increasing the size of Oscar's head. Further tests and scans then showed the fluid was on the outside of Oscar's brain as well as the inside.
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More surgery followed and although the removal of the tumour was a success, Oscar still has 'a big fight on his hands.'
Miss Crane said: 'Oscar will need scans and tests for at least the next 10 years of his life and will be under specialist care. But even through all of this, he is still able to give us beautiful smiles.'
With specialist equipment needed to aid his future development – such as sensory light toys, head pillows and high chairs – a fundraising page has been started to raise funds.
Oscar's family said: 'He is having to learn to eat again, hold his head up and play so it's going to be a long road to recovery.'
Last month the Taylor High Memorial Fund donated £500 to the appeal, and Elaine High, who founded the fund, started a GoFundMe page - Helping Baby Oscar – on his families behalf.
Visit uk.gofundme.com/g0ro9s to pledge support.
Community praised
The community has been praised for rallying round to support baby Oscar.
Oscar's mum Tessa Crane said: 'We would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to donate on the GoFundMe page or elsewhere – it truly means so much to me and Zac, words cannot explain how grateful we are.'
After setting up the fundraising page, Elaine High said: 'I decided that it doesn't have to be a big donation to be able to make a big difference – so by setting up this page, the hope is that others will help this brave little man.
'Your donation will be helping Oscar have the best fighting chance to get better.'
Oscar's aunt Nelly added: 'Thank you so much everyone for all your help and support. Oscar is such a special little man with a big heart and a big fight on his hands, but despite all of this Oscar does somehow still manage to smile every day.'
