Ependymoma survivor’s parents speak out

When Sabine Povey, Blaine’s mother, read about Layla O’Neill, who has recently been diagnosed with Ependymoma, she reached out to the Raising Hope for Layla organisation to share her son’s story of survival.

Blaine was diagnosed with Ependymoma at the age of two after he started getting recurring ear infections, poor balance and a very stiff neck.

Ependymoma is a type of cancer that affects the central nervous system.

Doctors operated on Blaine to remove the tumour but he also had to undergo chemotherapy because the whole tumour could not be safely removed.

The operation and the chemotherapy left Blaine paralysed on the left side of his body and he also lost his ability to swallow.

Sabine Povey said, “It was like having a two-year-old newborn baby. He had to learn to swallow and crawl again.”

When Blaine turned three he then had to start radiation therapy. During the course of a year he was administered 40 courses of radiation.

Blaine has experienced problems associated with the radiation his whole life.

Gerald Povey, Blaine’s father, explained, “He is deaf in the left ear, the left side of his face has a palsy, his vision is impaired and the radiation has caused his IQ to drop.”

Blaine has unfortunately also experienced a lot of bullying because of his disabilities, especially at school.

“People can be very cruel sometimes,” Sabine Povey said.

Despite all this Blaine is now doing extremely well. He is in Grade 11 and when he finishes school he plans to study hospitality.

Sabine Povey explained that one of the things that got them through Blaine’s trying time was not only the good support structure of friends and family but also that of parents who were experiencing similar situations.

She said, “When you go through something like this you want to try give back to other parents by supporting them with knowledge of what’s going to happen and the hope that you can overcome this.”