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Sam keeps on smiling
Rebecca Beisler
09Apr07
Sam Valavanis is about to lose his second eye to retinoblastoma.
IN THE next three months Patterson Lakes youngster Sam Valavanis will go to Disneyland, ride in a helicopter, cruise in a Harley Davidson, abseil down a cliff, and be the star guest at a big party.
Then the four-year-old will lose his vision forever.
Sam has retinoblastoma, a cancer which attacks the eyes.
Despite years of treatment, the illness has got so bad that Sam's only remaining eye must be removed to save his life.
His mother Lisa Valavanis has struggled to find the words to tell her son that his eye will not get better.
``He will be devastated. . . I know he will go through a bit of depression,'' Ms Valavanis said.
``How do you tell a four-year-old that when you're having trouble enough dealing with it.
``But he is a tough kid and I know he will bounce back.''
Sam was diagnosed with the illness when he was just 12 weeks old.
For the past four years, he has visited the Royal Children's Hospital every month.
Doctors have tried every possible treatment to beat the cancer, including burning and freezing the tumour, chemotherapy, intra-ocular chemotherapy and inserting a radioactive plaque all without success. Now, Sam's family is trying to make the most of his vision while he still has it.
He recently spent two hours with firefighters, went for a ride in their truck and had a tour of the station.
``I just want him to see as much as he can without overwhelming him,'' Ms Valavanis said.
But Sam's mum also plans to make something positive out of his misfortune.
She has planned a family fun day fundraiser on April 21 in Patterson Lakes to raise money for hospital equipment for other children like Sam.
``We're trying to make something good out of something bad,'' Ms Valavanis said.
Party time for Sam
A JUMPING castle, children's rides, an animal farm, Harley motorbike rides and clowns will be part of a Patterson Lakes fundraiser to be held on April 21.
Patterson Lakes mother Lisa Valavanis has planned the Beyond Sight Family Fun Day to raise money for sufferers of retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer.
Ms Valavanis decided to plan the fun day after she was told her son, Sam, would lose his second eye to the illness.
``I thought I'd love to show him a really good party to acknowledge what he's been through,'' Ms Valavanis said.
But then she decided to go further and make the party a fundraiser for Beyond Sight, a Royal Children's Hospital auxiliary and support group for parents of children with retinoblastoma.
Ms Valavanis said the money raised would help buy a new retcam a piece of equipment doctors use to photograph the eye and assess the cancer's progress.
The Royal Children's Hospital needs a new retcam, which costs $170,000.
Ms Valavanis said she hoped to raise $10,000.
She said the hospital's last retcam was bought with money raised by Beyond Sight.
``Because of the auxiliary, my son had access to the first retcam,'' she said.
``If the new retcam can help diagnose and treat kids even better then that's a good thing.''
The event will be held at Patterson Lakes Primary School on April 21, from 10am 4pm.
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