Herne Hill boy Harry Thomas battles leukaemia, set to undergo treatment for two years

A Herne Hill family were “thrown for six” when they found out their little boy had been diagnosed with cancer and will need to undergo treatment for at least two years.

Harry Thomas, 4, is battling cancer. Picture: Supplied

Harry Thomas is an energetic four-year-old, obsessed with football.

But when he came home one afternoon and said he was too tired to kick the footy in the backyard, his parents knew something was wrong.

Harry was diagnosed with precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia on September 10, which is one of the most common types of childhood cancer.

His dad, Luke, said Harry was struggling to recover from a cold in the weeks before he was diagnosed.

“We have three children so having a sick kid is not something that is unusual … but it was taking him a little longer to get over it,” he said.

Harry seemed to be improving but then two weeks later, he started to get a fever and his mum, Melissa, noticed some bruises on his back.

His parents took him to the doctors twice but everything came back clear.

Harry with his beloved footy. Picture: Supplied

A few days later, Mr Thomas and his son went for a walk with their dog and Harry was excited to have a kick of the footy when they got home.

“He always wants to kick the footy, you’ll never catch him without a footy,” Mr Thomas said.

“But when we got home, he said he was too tired and wanted to go sit down.

“That was the first time I thought ‘gee, he really isn’t well’.”

Harry went to kindergarten the next day but staff called his parents to say he was off-colour and “not his usual self”.

Mrs Thomas then took him to the emergency department where he had various blood tests but the next morning he was rushed to the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne.

“We had been (at the RCH) for about three to four hours and I knew that something was going on, I had a really bad gut feeling,” Mr Thomas said.

“There was a small group of (medical staff) outside our room talking and looking in.”

When Harry was diagnosed with leukaemia, Mr Thomas said he was “thrown for six”.

“From there, everything changed,” he said.

“You run off adrenaline for quite a while, you’re emotional and you’re upset.”

Harry will need to undergo treatment for at least two years and live in Melbourne to be close to the RCH.

He is currently having weekly chemotherapy and daily medication.

Mr Thomas said Harry was “up and down” but he was taking his treatment like a “little champion”.

“He is in good spirits most days,” he said.

“We had to explain to him a few days ago that he is going to lose his hair and he wasn’t a big fan of that.”

Mr Thomas said his family have felt “so much love” from their loved ones.

“It’s so nice to know there are people in our corner … and Harry’s strength is giving us strength,” he said.
A Go Fund Me page titled “Harry’s fight back to health” has been set up to help the Thomas family during their son’s treatment.

It has raised more than $22,000 so far.

Originally published as Herne Hill boy Harry Thomas battles leukaemia, set to undergo treatment for two years