Harrison Pennicott: Dyson Heppell helps Warranwood boy celebrate remission from scleroderma

A Warranwood boy with a rare skin and auto-immune disease has turned the corner, and his best mate, Essendon captain Dyson Heppell, couldn’t be more proud.

It’s taken six years of fighting, but Harrison Pennicott appears to have smashed scleroderma.

The Warranwood nine-year-old has been told by doctors he is in remission from the rare skin and auto-immune disease that has dominated his life.

Harrison was diagnosed when he was three, and has had four fingers amputated, two bone marrow transplants and multiple leg, ankle and wrist injuries during his health battle.

Years of different treatment methods at the Royal Children’s Hospital failed to cure him, as did a cell transplant from big brother Miller, 11.

But 12 months of blood cancer treatment extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has put the disease “to sleep”, leading to last month’s good news.

The treatment extracts white blood cells from a patient’s blood, which are then mixed with a photoactive drug and exposed to UV light to activate the medicine, before being reinfused into the body.

“I feel really good, I feel like I’m normal again,” Harrison said.

“My dad says I have to keep eating, so I just keep on taking big mouthfuls and swallowing them.”

Mum Leesa said seeing her son in remission was like “a whole weight had been lifted off our shoulders”.

She said Harrison would continue to have ECP treatment every month to make sure the disease stayed ”dormant”.

“It’s all about rehab now, doing physio and trying to get him better, building some strength and muscle and putting some weight on him,” Leesa said.

“He’s walking, standing up tall, he’s confident and stronger, and he can play all day and he’s more active, it’s really nice to see.”

“I’m super proud, he’s always happy and smiling, he never gives up and he has an amazing spirit.”

Miller and Harrison Pennicott, pictured in September 2018, on the eve of Harrison entering the Royal Children’s Hospital for intensive treatment for scleroderma. Picture: James Ross.

Miller and Harrison with Dyson Heppell at Ringwood’s McAlpin Reserve on February 4, 2022. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Harrison’s struggles caught the attention of Essendon AFL captain Dyson Heppell in early 2018, whose grandmother died from the disease.

The duo formed an amazing friendship and have since helped raise more than $100,000 for Scleroderma Victoria’s research into the disease through various events.

Harrison Pennicott and Dyson Heppell during their beard shaving fundraiser in 2018, which raised more than $60,000 for scleroderma Victoria. Pic: Michael Klein

Such is their bond, Heppell has a small tattoo on the back of his leg of a sunflower, the international scleroderma symbol, and the letter ‘H’.

Heppell came down to Ringwood North’s McAlpin Reserve to celebrate and play some footy with the brothers on Friday, the first thing Harrison wanted to do when he got better.

“I was crying and he was eating ice cream,” the Bombers captain said when he heard Harrison’s good news.

“It’s awesome and it shows the strength and resilience of him.

“He’s managed to grind through this whole period over the last six or seven years, and to get to this point is very special.”