Henry’s chemotherapy treatments have finally ended, as have the multiple trips he and his mother have had to make to Vancouver since Kelowna boy was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019.
The nine-year-old boy, accompanied by his mother Bristol Debowski, had to travel hours for treatment and appointments, another pressure for the family after the already stressful diagnosis — eased slightly by Hope Air, a national charity that provides flights and accommodations to help patients reach medical care.
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Those flights allowed the family to focus on Henry’s health instead of the financial burden caused by the travel associated with his treatment.
With his treatment in the rear-view mirror, Henry smashed the pill bottles that held his daily medication. He’s now finding his new normal, continuing to participate in the activities he loves, like soccer and going to school. He continues to do physiotherapy at home to help rebuild strength in his legs.
“Henry has overcome many obstacles in his life. It is so amazing to see him finally enjoy being a kid again; playing with friends, hanging out with his cats and just having fun,” said Debowski.
Hope Air has provided the family around 30 free flights and will continue to do so for Henry’s check-up appointments once every three months.
“It’s nice to know that I can go through the process now. It takes two minutes. I get the flight details and then we fly; travelling can be so stressful and knowing we can fly helps us breathe a little easier.” said Debowski.
@michaelrdrguezmichael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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