Peet’s year long struggle with Cancer
It is a battle the nine-year-old has to win if he is to survive, an outcome everyone in Ladysmith is praying for.
There is no town in the world totally unaffected by cancer… and in the case of Ladysmith, a small town in KwaZulu-Natal, nothing is more heartbreaking than the story of Peet Barnard.
This is how we initially broke the story of Peet in February 2013
Nine-year-old Peet Barnard has been off school for three weeks facing an ordeal that would floor most adults, ie cancer.
‘Klein Peet’, as he is known by his friends at Egerton Primary School, is fighting for his life at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. With his liver, kidneys and pancreas ravaged by cancer, his only hope is chemotherapy.
Doctors have managed to stabilise him and as of Monday, he was moved from the ICU to a high-care ward where he can receive his first chemotherapy treatment.
Up until a few days ago, he was in the ICU as doctors battled to stabilise him in the hopes that he would be strong enough to have the chemo treatment. His kidneys, which were not functioning properly, improved enough for the doctors to remove the drips, monitoring equipment and face mask, and allow him to be moved to high care.
It is now just a case of parents Petrus and Michelle Barnard taking each day as it comes.
About a year and a half ago, Peet started complaining about a sore back, sore stomach, and other aches and pains. Repeated visits to the doctor and Provincial Hospital always ended with antibiotics and various diagnoses, including gastro and stomach flu…
Three weeks ago, on another trip to the Provincial Hspital, a doctor suggested that he may have yellow jaundice and immediately booked him in for tests. One ultra-sound and a CT scan later and the nine-year-old’s parents were told he had growths on his liver. That night, he was rushed through to Grey’s Hospital in PMB where further tests revealed that he had signs of cancer in his liver, kidneys and pancreas. Doctors hoped the chemotherapy would stop the cancer spreading into other organs.
It is a battle the nine-year-old has to win if he is to survive, an outcome everyone in Ladysmith is praying for.
“It was such a shock to us,” said Petrus ‘Peet’ Barnard. “As a father, you only want the best for your children…”
His wife has spent the last three weeks at Klein Peet’s bedside.
Petrus expressed his thanks to all who have helped them through this ordeal: Egerton Primary School (especially Tannie Rina), TFS, Grey’s Hospital, the churches, house friends and Chirpy Chick.
When asked if the family needed anything, all Petrus asked was for people to pray for his son. That interview was done a year ago.
It has been a long, hard struggle since then.
Sadly, the youngster has slowly lost the battle, with little hope – brave little Peet Barnard is at home fighting for his life.
The now 10-year-old has had the cancer spread to his brain.
Despite repeated treatments, which involved chemotherapy, the youngster is slowly losing the battle.
He is currently at home, bedridden and completely blind.
Being at home means he needs nappies and is totally reliant on his loving family.
He is expected to make another trip to Grey’s Hospital again soon to evaluate how far the cancer has spread.
While no one is saying he has lost the battle, things are not looking good.
Shortly before Christmas, the Ladysmith Gazette visited Peet at his home and, together with ‘Toys for Joy’, gave Peet much-needed essential items that included nappies. They also gave him sweets and toys.
“When I took his photograph, he smiled for the camera. I took three photos with my camera flash lighting up the room,” explained Ladysmith Gazette Editor Rod Skinner. “After I took the final photo, I lowered my camera and began to move away. To my surprise, he continued smiling ahead. After almost 10 seconds had passed, he asked me if I had finished taking photos. It was only then that I realised how blind he had become; unable to even see the flash of a camera. When I walked out of the room and out of the house, I had tears streaming down my face.”
Anyone who wants to help can contact Ladysmith Hospice on 036-631-2697. Remember to tell them your donations are intended for Peet
