As parents, one of the absolute worst things that we can hear is they there is a problem with our young baby, a baby that is so dear to us, so when we hear that there is a problem, it’s really hard to hear.
Even though the odds can be stacked against you, or seem like they are, children are really resilient and can really surprise the most skeptical!
The amazing spirit to fight back against challenges, the courage to face hardships is really wonderful, and very inspiring too!
Dylan was born some five years ago, at that time the doctors said that they realized very quickly that there was something wrong, the skin on his back was dark red, the rest of his body was covered in big, what seemed like, liver spots, you couldn’t miss it.
It happened that Dylan did, in fact, have a serious problem called Congenital Melanocytic Nevus, where 80% of his body was covered in birthmarks!
The doctor said to his mother, Kara, that her son had to go through many surgeries in the first few years of his life.
Other patients that have Congenital Melanocytic Nevus also have a higher risk of skin cancer developing, and it’s really important for them to always keep a watch on their birthmarks.
The huge mole that covered most of Dylans back was so incredibly big that the doctor said they would surgically remove it, but it was a hard operation and used skin from other parts of his tiny body, poor boy!
Dylan grew older and the doctor said that they were then able to perform the more complex operations, and also to have enough skin to transplants.
They even put breast implants into those areas to stretch the skin ready for the operations, this boy is really one brave boy!
Dylan had these implants for a long time, three months of putting up with them, his skin grew bigger in that time to help to have enough skin to get rid of the huge moles on him.
Dyan has had so very many operations so far, after 26 operations, around half of his huge mole was removed.
His mom, Kara said:
“We’re holding onto hope that the moles never turn on and become cancerous, but he could develop cancer at any point …He has surgery every three to six months, dependent on which area of the body.”
Even though he had all his operations and hardship he that he suffered, he really is a happy little boy!
Kara said to the news:
“We are trying to do what’s best for him, we want to give him the fullest, longest life we possibly can …Dylan amazes me constantly, he always has a smile on his face and feels like he owns the hospital, all the nurses know and love him.”
Dylan knows that he looks different to other kids, but he’s ok with that, strangers stare sometimes, but then Dylan explains to them why he looks how he is.
Most people are just a little interested in why he is like that and are polite, sometimes though there are others that are really mean, some people are just plain mean people!
Kara said:
“Once in a supermarket a store manager asked us to leave because one of their customers was upset about having seen our child, which was very upsetting”
His mom, quite rightly, refused to hide or be ashamed in any way at all, we commend her!
She goes on to say:
“I’m not afraid to take him out at all and I don’t want him to be worried or think there is something he should be ashamed of.”
His parents also created a Facebook page to follow his recovery, and for people that may be interested in his recovery too.
Dylan is such a brave and clever little boy, we wish him the best for the future and that all his future operations go really well.
Please feel free to share his story and to celebrate both his braveness and his awesome fighting spirit for life, such a brave boy needs recognition and encouragement, how amazing!