Three-year-old Rory loves to draw and watch Peppa Pig and Blue’s Clues. As a child, his days should be filled with play and fun, but sadly, that wasn’t his reality in April 2023.
After a tumour was discovered on an ultrasound at his local hospital in Prince Edward Island, Rory was transferred to the IWK for further testing and specialized care.
While there, Rory had numerous medical tests, including bloodwork, an ultrasound and a CT scan. The results confirmed the devasting news that Rory had cancer—words no parent ever wants to hear in their lifetime.
Rory’s parents, Jill and James, were shocked to learn Rory had a rare type of cancer called yolk sac tumour. It’s a type of cancer that most often occurs in the ovary or testicle, which was the case for Rory. It can also grow quickly and spread to other areas of the body if not treated right away.
Within days of his diagnosis, Rory had surgery at the IWK to remove the cancer. Not knowing whether Rory was in pain or feeling unwell was extremely difficult for his parents. But they were so relieved and filled with gratitude to know that after his surgery, he was cancer-free.
Following his surgery, Rory was enrolled in a research study at the IWK focused on ovarian and testicular cancer in young children like him. As part of the study, he would undergo frequent bloodwork and assessments to monitor his health closely.
Little did Jill and James know that enrolling Rory in the study would help his care team discover that his cancer had returned just seven months after his surgery. Jill and James were shocked and crushed to hear that he’d need to undergo chemotherapy treatment this time around.
Rory’s bloodwork showed his cancer returned. Thankfully, a CT scan identified the location of Rory’s tumour, which was on a lymph node behind his kidney. Without the CT scan, Rory’s cancer would have been difficult to find.
Over several months, Rory underwent four rounds of chemotherapy treatments, with each round taking place over five days. Although it was heart-wrenching for Jill and James to see Rory undergo cancer treatment, they knew he was in the best place to get the advanced care and support he needed—the IWK.
In April 2024, Rory finally got to ring the bell to mark the end of his cancer treatment. It was a joyous and celebratory moment for Jill and James and their close family and friends. The beautiful moment was captured through video and photos, which they plan to show Rory when he’s old enough to understand what he had to go through at such a young age.
Thankfully, Rory is once again cancer-free and enjoying the things he loves. The IWK will closely follow him until he’s 18—giving his family much-needed peace of mind.
