PENNINGTON local, Ben Hawkes, is a brave little boy. From what we’ve been told, Ben doesn’t like the description ‘brave’, although that doesn’t change the fact.
However, we’ll go with passionate in the hopes that the smile he has managed to keep throughout his battle with cancer, turns into a burst of laughter. After all, he is passionate and enjoys just about every sport, especially cricket, in which he was chosen to represent his school, Pennington Primary, in the U/11 district team as a batsman/wicket-keeper.
It was during that time that Ben complained to us about a sore knee, – Ben’s dad, Anton.
That’s when they took Ben to their local general practitioner. The doctor told Ben’s parents that they should continue to monitor his knee, but that he suspected it was possibly his ligaments.
On Friday, February 19, Ben started limping and a visible lump had appeared on his right femur. Ben’s parents took him to the local physiotherapist to have the lump examined. “It was at this appointment that our lives changed forever,” said Anton. It was just over a week before his son’s 10th birthday.
An hour later he and his wife, Angela, were seated with their doctor, who had shown them Ben’s x-ray. Ben was missing seven centimetres of his femur, where a tumour had taken hold. “One of the most difficult things I’ve had to do was to take Ben to his final cricket practice, where he and I informed his coaches that he would have to withdraw from the team,” said Anton.
In the span of little over a week, three things were confirmed by various doctors.
First, things did not look good. Second, the cancer was confirmed as malignant. Third, although the cancer was contained in the tumour, 18 centimetres of his femur was compromised.
“Monday came, as did our meeting with Dr Pirjol at the oncology clinic, where she confirmed that Ben had osteosarcoma,” said Anton.
Since being diagnosed, Ben has undergone various treatments and a reconstructive orthopaedic surgery in Cape Town.
“Previously his leg would have just been amputated, but Dr Hosking and his team are at the forefront of reconstructive surgery. They have removed a 19-centimetre section of his right femur and replaced it with the aid of bone from the bone bank, bolts, screws and plates with 19 centimetres of Ben’s fibular from his left leg. Ben will have to undergo further surgery in the next 18 to 24 months to remove the plates and screws. This will take place when his fibula is roughly the same strength as his original femur would have been,” said Anton.
Despite the difficulties which the Hawkes family have endured, they have the support of friends.
The surrounding communities organised a fund-raiser, which was held at Rocky Bay Resorts’ walking trail recently. The news of the ‘Bike for Ben’ fund-raiser quickly spread and, when Sunday, June 12, came around, many locals were astounded at the massive turnout in support of Ben and his family.
“We can definitely confirm that over R60 000 was raised, although as we settle the last few matters over the next day or so, we are expecting that total to top R65 000,” said Janet Simpkins, who assisted in the organising of the community initiative.
Special thanks go out to the main sponsors, Rocky Bay Resorts and R & M Construction.
There we so many sponsors that came together in support of Ben, that the Mail simply did not have enough space to mention them all. Rest assured that you are all held in high regard by Ben and his family, the Rocky Bay Resort crew and all others involved in making this fund-raiser the huge success it was.
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