‘Shock’: Baby Bryson’s cancer battle after months of salmonella treatment

Baby Bryson was struggling for months, unable to get over salmonella, his mum was constantly bringing him to the doctor until finally they received a shocking diagnosis.

Kimberly Merchant doesn’t remember life before being told her youngest baby has cancer.

“All life before this … I can’t remember it, it’s hard to put into words,” the 35-year-old told The Advertiser.

One-year-old Bryson Chamings was diagnosed with neuroblastoma five weeks ago and since Ms Merchant hasn’t been the same.

“You don’t know until you’re going through it … it’s heartbreaking,” the Murray Bridge mum-of-two said.

Bryson Chamings, who has been diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, with his older brother Bodhi Chamings. Picture: Supplied by family

Bryson was diagnosed five weeks ago. Picture: Supplied by family

The diagnosis came after Bryson tested positive for salmonella but his diarrhoea and vomiting symptoms wouldn’t clear up for months despite antibiotics.

He also contracted a UTI which Ms Merchant said she later found out is common with neuroblastoma patients.

“There were numerous doctors visits, sometimes twice a week, back and forth, getting put on different antibiotics and none of them working,” Ms Merchant said.

Bryson attended hospital and even had an X-ray, but nothing came of that.

“It wasn’t until my GP felt his stomach and felt that his liver seemed enlarged so he sent us off for ultrasound and the day after … he was really unwell.”

Bryson was sick with salmonella for months was unable to get over the sickness before he was eventually diagnosed with cancer. Picture: Supplied by family

The GP felt his stomach and believed his liver may be enlarged. Picture: Supplied by family

Ms Merchant brought Bryson to the Murray Bridge Hospital where they looked at the ultrasound results.

“She (the doctor) came back and said it looked like there was a mass coming from his liver and within two hours we were at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and we’ve been here since,” Ms Merchant said.

More scans revealed a large mass on Bryson’s adrenal glands taking up most of his abdomen as well as spots in his right leg, arm, lymph nodes, stomach, chest, spine and right orbital wall.

By the next morning Ms Merchant was told her son had cancer.

“I was in shock at first, you never expect someone to tell you that,” she said.

“Especially him being so young, you wonder, how long has he been like that.”

Bodhi visits Bryson but isn’t entirely sure what is going on with his brother. Picture: Supplied by family

Scans revealed cancer throughout Bryson’s body. Picture: Supplied by family

Bryson is currently undergoing chemotherapy.

“You do everything you can do to make sure he’s comfortable and happy as possible and be there for him,” Ms Merchant said.

“We have family coming in every day and supporting us.” — including his older brother, seven-year-old Bodhi Chamings

“They’ve never been apart before, that parts been hard, his brother has been missing him and worried about him,” Ms Merchant said.

“He’s only seven years old, he’s not really sure what’s going on.”

If you want to donate to Bryson, you can here.

Originally published as ‘Shock’: Baby Bryson’s cancer battle after months of salmonella treatment