Tama Brown’s big battle reignites as rare cancer returns for second time

A “beautiful, happy” little boy is fighting for his life battling an incredibly rare cancer for the second time.

He’s a bubbly, beautiful and fun-loving little boy “who is always smiling”.

To look at Tama Brown, you would think he was like every other toddler, but this three-year-old from Mango Hill is facing an incredibly tough battle.

In December 2018, at only 7 months old, Tama was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer called Desmoplastic Infantile Ganglioglioma/Astrocytoma.

He has endured two surgeries, suffered a stroke causing paralysis to the right side of his body and loss of eyesight all in the same year.

"Beautiful, happy" little boy, Tama Brown, is fighting for his life battling an incredibly rare cancer for the second time. Picture: Contributed.

Mother Temica Brown knew something wasn’t quite right with her youngest weeks before his diagnosis.

“I just woke up with this gut-feeling – I have a lot of cancer in my family and so does Ricky,” she said.

“He stopped eating and drinking sitting up, he would only do it laying completely flat.

“His eyes had started to flicker … like a shuddering and that was him having silent seizures.

“He would cry unless he was attached to me, he didn't’ hop off me for two months and that was unusual for him because he was such a social child.”

In December 2018, at only 7 months old, Tama was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer called Desmoplastic Infantile Ganglioglioma/Astrocytoma. Picture: Contributed.

After being told it was a viral infection and sent home from a Brisbane hospital several times – Mrs Brown called the Ryan’s Rule, twice.

“Finally after 48 hours they did tests on Tama,” she said.

“We were told he had brain cancer and we had to rush to Lady Cilento.

“We had eight hours to save his life. It was horrific, I still choke up thinking about it.

“They told me it was a very rare cancer and there was no cure, that was the hardest thing I’ve had to hear.

“To hear that your baby has a cancer that is the largest in the world for his age.

“My world just felt like it was falling around me.”

"Beautiful, happy" little boy, Tama Brown, is fighting for his life battling an incredibly rare cancer for the second time. Picture: Contributed.

Doctors drained 800mls fluid off Tama’s brain and began to plan for his first surgery on December 18.

Gut wrenchingly, the family were told to prepare for the worst.

“We were told our son would not make it, but he did he pulled through,” she said.

“He had a severe stroke which made him paralysed on the right hand side, leg, arm, face, everything.”

The tumour in Tama’s brain measured in at 7cm by 7cm.

12 months of chemotherapy followed with the family-of-eight in and out of hospital for almost 10 months.

Then came their next hurdle as Tama’s tiny body began to reject the drugs.

Doctors decided to stop his treatment and wait to see if the remaining 20 per cent of the tumour would lay dormant.

"Beautiful, happy" little boy, Tama Brown, is fighting for his life battling an incredibly rare cancer for the second time. Picture: Contributed.

The Brown family spent the year going through occupational therapy, proving doctors wrong as Tama learnt to walk and talk.

“We’ve just gone back and our last two scans showed his cancer has started to kick off and grow again quite dramatically,” Mrs Brown said.

Mrs Brown says Tama continues to inspire everyone around him, despite his diagnosis.

“He’s amazing, he just lives his best life everyday,” she said.

“When we go in for chemo he pulls his T-shirt down and shows the doctor what side his port is on.

“He’s such a positive kid, he’s always got a smile on his face.

“He’s the strongest kid and to look at him you would know nothing is wrong with him.

“He lights up our whole world. He just loves people.”

"Beautiful, happy" little boy, Tama Brown, is fighting for his life battling an incredibly rare cancer for the second time. Picture: Contributed.

Tama and his family are now preparing for the next steps.

Right now, the family have few options available to them.

There are trial drugs that could become available to Tama in the United States but it is a costly process.

“We’re just praying and sitting and waiting to see if this trial drug comes in and we’ll go from there,” the heartbroken mum said.

So far 64 donors have contributed $4360 to help the Brown family on their journey.

If you wish to lend a hand you can visit this link.

The family are hoping to turn their journey into something positive with plans to start a charity to support other families going through a similar situation.

“We want to change people’s perception on what it is like to have a child with cancer,” Mrs Brown said.

“We just want to create awareness of what these families are going through.

“So that we can help them with groceries, we want to pay this forward and create awareness.”