‘He’s still there’: Mum’s emotion when players surprise son in hospital

Fraser Suggate was watching his favourite team as they beat Hawthorn in last week, now players from Port have given him a surprise as he fights to beat cancer.

Port Adelaide fan Fraser Suggate is relearning to walk after he underwent mammoth brain surgery to remove a cancerous tumour.

The surgery left the nine-year-old with posterior fossa syndrome which means he not only has to relearn how to walk but also talk and eat, while he also undergoes radiotherapy to remove the remaining cancer.

On Wednesday some of Fraser’s favourite Port players, Sam Powell-Pepper and Jeremy Finlayson, decided to surprise Fraser with a visit.

“He was so happy … after they left he kept talking about it,” his mum, Simone Suggate said.

“It was so good to see him get up and have that motivation to walk … he was very proud to show off.

“He was knocking on all the patients’ doors to let them know they had visitors which is a huge leap for Fraser because he wasn’t really walking that well last week.”

While there the Port players also hung out with other kids staying on the Michael Rice Ward at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Sam Powell-Pepper and Jeremy Finlayson are surprising Port supporter Fraser Suggate, 9, to lift his spirits as he battles brain cancer in the WCH ahead of the team's clash against Sydney. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The visit follows the club giving the nine-year-old a team-signed footy and guernsey ahead of their clash against Hawthorn.

“We saw Fraser’s reaction to the guernsey and football we sent last and we just knew we had to visit him if we could,” Powell-Pepper said.

“Seeing Fraser, and all the other incredibly brave kids on the Michael Rice Ward today has been inspirational. The kids and their families are doing it tough, but to see them smiling and fighting hard has been great.”

Finlayson said “being able to play a small part in putting a smile on these kids’ faces today means the world”.

“After seeing my wife Kellie go through her own battle, I know how hard it is for families to watch their loved ones fight this disease,” he said.

Sam Powell-Pepper and Jeremy Finlayson with Port supporter Lincoln Hassell. Picture: Brett Hartwig.

Sam Powell-Pepper and Jeremy Finlayson visit Henry Smart. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Fraser was diagnosed with brain cancer in August this year after a range of misdiagnosis including gastro and anxiety.

He has been in the WCH since having an 11-hour surgery to remove a medulloblastoma tumour he affectionately named “Bob the Blob”.

He’s going through radiotherapy currently with plans to undergo chemotherapy afterwards.

“The first few weeks were heart breaking, it was really overwhelming, your life’s thrown into chaos,” Ms Suggate said.

But for Ms Suggate, seeing her son’s interaction with Powell-Pepper and Finlayson was like seeing “old Fraser”.

“It’s nice to know that he’s still there,” she said.

The nine-year-old has plans to watch Port face the Swans this weekend with his uncle and hopes they win, of course.

Originally published as ‘He’s still there’: Mum’s emotion when players surprise son in hospital