In August 2015, Connor’s parents, Nicole and Brad, knew something was wrong with their son. He wasn’t sleeping well and wasn’t interested in his usual activities. His face was also swollen near his eyes. They took him to the IWK’s emergency department, where a doctor ran some tests.
Unfortunately, test results showed Connor had a tumour behind his liver and stomach area and another behind his eye, causing the swelling. A biopsy confirmed that they were cancerous.
Connor was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, an aggressive type of cancer that doubles in size every 24 hours.
Connor began treatment right away, and over the next several months, he remained an inpatient at the IWK while he received five rounds of chemotherapy.
Thankfully, the treatment was successful, and tests revealed there was no more cancer. On February 23, 2023, he and his family will celebrate seven years of Connor being cancer free!
But Connor’s IWK story doesn’t end there. In May 2021, Connor was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after feeling unwell for a few months. He takes insulin daily, which is administered through an insulin pump. He also wears a Dexcom—a device that monitors his sugar every five minutes. He is followed by the IWK’s endocrinology team and visits the IWK’s diabetic clinic every three months.
Connor has been through a lot, but despite the challenges he’s faced, he is a happy and energetic boy.
Reflecting on Connor’s health journey, Nicole says, “I’m grateful we have a place in the Maritimes where the sickest kids can receive the care they need.”
I can't tell you what this place has done. Not only for Connor, but making sure that we as parents were okay.
~Nicole Poplar, Connor's mom
