Redlands toddler Paddy Moloney’s battle against rare aggressive cancer

A Redlands toddler is facing the final moments of his life after a courageous year-long battle with a rare and aggressive cancer.

A Redland family have entered with new year with the heart shattering news that toddler Paddy Moloney will soon lose his battle against a rare cancer he has fought for nearly a year.

A Redlands family have entered with new year bearing the heart shattering news that their toddler will soon lose his battle against a rare cancer he has courageously fought for nearly one year.

Patrick ‘Paddy’ Moloney, 3, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer which affects one in every 10 million children, in March 2023 and after enduring multiple rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries his family have been informed he has “weeks not months” before his life ends.

Paddy’s father Chris Moloney — the brother of local councillor Rowanne McKenzie — described his beautiful little boy as his “biggest supporter” through the last unimaginable year.

Paddy’s mother Jackie Forse was first alerted to a change in Paddy’s health after discovering his nappy was drenched with blood.

Mr Moloney said Paddy was rushed to hospital where scans revealed a 9cm mass on his 6cm kidney.

Chris and Paddy Moloney.

“It covered his whole kidney and the scan also showed lesions on his lungs,” Mr Moloney said.

“He was immediately taken to the Queensland Children’s Hospital, a biopsy was done and within five days he was onto chemotherapy for 30 weeks.

“When the doctors told us about his diagnosis I completely blanked, went into shock and was unable to listen,” he said.

After 12 weeks of chemotherapy Paddy began radiation treatment which caused him to have repeat fevers, multiple stays in hospital and severe discomfort.

Mr Moloney said Paddy had his kidney removed and had surgery to remove the shrunk 3cm mass that remained.

“During his operation recovery and radiation he had 14 separate trips to hospital because his immune system was so compromised,” Mr Moloney said.

“We kept going and upon another review at the 24-week mark he was on track and we continued with the chemotherapy.”

In December, Paddy’s parents were woken by his agonising screams in the night and an emergency hospital scan showed three tumours had grown on his lungs.

“We were told that based on the size and the speed it was growing that he could have weeks, not months,” Mr Moloney said.

Mr Moloney, has shared a video of Paddy singing along to his favourite Lady Gaga song and hopes she will acknowledge “that one of her youngest fans is facing the end”.

Paddy has been his parent's saviour during the last year.

The family intends to spend the time Paddy has left watching him play in the pool, with his two half-siblings Jessie, 8, and Kaylen, 7 and “being a normal kid”.

“We have taken Paddy to the toy shop nearly every day, we just want to see him smile and we have plans to engrave the toys and donate them to the hospital so he can always be remembered,” Mr Moloney said.

“He has been my biggest strength and guide throughout all of this and it is a blessing that he is unaware of what lies ahead.

“A stonemason friend of mine will engrave his name into pieces of granite we plan to drop in places such as the Great Barrier Reef and other random locations, so his name can be dug up by archaeologists in thousands of years.

“I believe someone is never truly gone until people stop talking about them.

“He will be three forever.

“We would like to thank everyone at the Queensland Children’s Hospital who we can’t fault, especially Paddy’s lead oncologist Dr Rick Walker.”

The family have created a GoFundMe page to support them through what lies ahead, if you can donate please click here.