Chemotherapy begins today for adorable youngster battling rare cancer

By Debra Downey, Senior Editor

Baby Carter’s health has taken a turn for the worse.

The adorable blue-eyed youngster who has captured the hearts of the community is back at Mac Sick Kids.

Today he began another six days of chemotherapy. Sadly for the tiny fellow and his family, Carter is no stranger to cancer treatment.

The little boy has acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive form of cancer that is extremely rare in someone so young.

Since the cancer was detected last spring, Carter and his family have experienced many setbacks. But through surgeries, infections, numerous procedures and sedations, a trip to the ICU, blood transfusions and more, the little bundle of joy has become a beloved hero to everyone he has met.

After finishing chemotherapy just a few weeks before Christmas, Carter was released from hospital and welcomed home to Dundas by his overjoyed parents, Megan Whipple, 25, and Allan Button, 26, and adoring big brother Noah, 3.

In the past six weeks, with the encouragement and love of the large, extended Button and Walker families, the adventurous little Carter learned to crawl and pull himself up. He was taking tentative steps while keeping a firm grip on a solid, inanimate object. Carter said his first words — a “mum mum” and “dada” that brought tears of wonder and joy into the eyes of his grateful parents.

Carter appeared to be making great strides toward recovery until Feb. 5, when, after a weekend of the baby feeling under the weather, his worried parents returned to Mac. Doctors discovered a tumour in Carter’s brain and additional tumours that had wrapped around his spine.

Emergency surgery followed on Feb. 6 to relieve the pressure on Carter’s brain. Doctors removed roughly half the tumour and the baby received two doses of chemotherapy into the wound drainage tube to keep the tumour at bay until a treatment plan was devised.

Family member Jodi Aussem said through the tragedies and triumphs of his young life, Carter has been “a little trooper.”

“With everything he has been through, he just keeps going. He is an amazing little guy. When you go in (to his room) and look at him, you just know you’ve got to fight for him.”

Despite the trials Carter has faced, Aussem said the baby almost always finds a way to make visitors smile. He loves to snuggle up with a much-loved stuffed giraffe, and if he is unwilling to be cuddled at that moment, he has a dramatic way of putting one arm over his head as a deterrent.

But although Carter is a happy little boy, he sometimes displays a serious, more inquisitive side to his personality.

“He watches you wherever you go,” said Aussem. “Or, he just sits quietly and studies his surroundings.”

Because of his sometimes contemplative nature, nurses and doctors a Mac Kids, commonly refer to Carter as “The Prof,” or “Professor Whipple-Button.”

As Carter’s extended family prepares to host a fundraiser on March 10, Aussem said the outpouring of support from the community — businesses large and small, and individuals, young and old — has been overwhelming.

As part of their dress-down Valentine’s Day activities, Canadian Martyrs School students brought in a canned good or a donation for Carter’s family.

Pizza Pizza has offered to send over some pies on the night of the fundraiser, Picone Fine Food will put together cheese and cracker platters and fruit and cookie trays, Shoppers Drug Mart has donated gift cards and a Sony Dream Machine and Fortinos has contributed a raffle prize.

At the Crossfit Ancaster gym, more than $500 has been raised in exchange for the owner shaving off his massive beard; TenStar Financial employees have donated $145 and an HBC card. The Juravinski cancer clinic ran a fundraiser and collected another $500.
Aussem said many, many other businesses have provided funds or raffle prizes.

“There are too many to mention, but all will receive a thank you card as recognition of their help,” said Aussem.

“One little, sick baby has really brought out the best in people. You always hear about the bad, but something like this restores your belief in the goodness of people. Not everyone is in too much of a hurry or too self-involved to help.”

To purchase tickets to the fundraiser or to make a prize donation, contact Jessica Button at jbutton@hotmail.ca.

An account for Carter and his family has also been opened at the TD Canada Trust, Centre on Barton Branch, account number 102-6478330.