When two-year-old Oliver developed a “little cough,” his parents initially thought it was nothing serious.
Doctors said all she probably needed was some rest and time out of daycare, but two weeks later the family was told she had a tumor in her breast, as well as leukemia.
Oliver’s father, John Norris, 38, from Somerville, Melbourne, dismissed the cough as nothing more than a “little cold” because his son had no fever.
A visit to the GP on 5 June ruled out Covid and RSV, and the advice for Oliver was simply to get some rest.
A week later, with no signs of improvement and the child struggling to breathe, they returned to the GP.
“They gave him antibiotics and told us he needed to rest and not go to daycare,” Norris said.
But the father became worried when the cough only got worse and his son became increasingly lethargic.
Two-year-old Oliver Norris (pictured) had a cough in early June that persisted and within eleven days he was found to have a tumor on his lungs and heart and was diagnosed with leukemia.
Oliver’s father, John Norris, said there had been no symptoms of cancer before his son developed a cough and that he had been “healthy” (pictured, Oliver Norris)
“It didn’t seem like he was getting any better. I had a feeling something wasn’t right. I wanted a second opinion,” she said.
Following their instinct, John and his wife Melissa, 34, took Oliver to another GP on June 14, who told them to take the boy to hospital if his health deteriorated further.
The next night Oliver “wasn’t looking very well” and by 5 a.m. he was having trouble breathing.
After being rushed to Frankston Hospital, an X-ray showed the boy had a tumour on his heart and lungs, and he was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, for further examination and a clearer diagnosis.
“We were told he had a tumor on his heart and lungs, which is why he couldn’t breathe,” Norris said.
He was also diagnosed with leukemia.
The father said the hardest thing was receiving such bad news in a matter of hours.
The two-year-old’s condition worsened a day after a second visit to the GP, which ruled out any virus or bacteria. Oliver (pictured) was struggling to breathe and was rushed to hospital by his parents.
The “cheeky” and “bubbly” little boy (pictured receiving treatment) now has to have steroids twice a day and chemotherapy twice a week, but the family have been told he will need chemotherapy for the next two and a half years.
“We were trying not to think of the worst,” he said.
‘We didn’t want to ask questions because we didn’t want to know the answers.
‘All these terms and all the different doctors (a different doctor visits him every half hour) and his son was having trouble breathing and was a little out of it.
“It was just difficult.”
Mr Norris said Oliver, who is the younger brother of Mia, nine, and Charlie, four, is known for his big smile, is “always laughing” and is “bubbly”.
“He loves dinosaurs, playing with cars and he loves making animal noises – he’s a bit cheeky,” she said.
Mr Norris said there were no warning signs or symptoms before Oliver began coughing in early June.
The boy’s father said he is “proud” of his son for sitting up during chemotherapy and wearing a backpack that feeds him antibiotics to fight a virus he later contracted (pictured, Oliver Norris)
Oliver, (pictured), who loves dinosaurs and making animal noises, is also known for his big smile.
“We weren’t lethargic before he had the cough; he was healthy,” she said.
The father wanted to make it clear that he does not blame the family doctors, because the disease is rare and “they cannot do an X-ray on all the children who come in with a cough.”
Oliver now has to take steroids twice a day and chemotherapy twice a week.
The family has been told the two-year-old will need chemotherapy for the next two and a half years.
“She just started losing her hair. My wife had a nervous breakdown and cried in front of the children,” he said.
“When you start seeing the signs, you know it’s real. It’s confrontational.
‘Steroids make him angry and he lashes out, but that’s normal when you take steroids.
“But he still has that smile. The hospital staff adore him, they all say they love his smile.
“It’s hard for a two-year-old to sit still during chemotherapy, but he’s doing it.”
The father said Oliver contracted an infection while in the hospital and his body is having a hard time fighting it off because he suffers from leukemia.
“He was hot and shivering. It’s a virus he can’t fight off on his own, so he has to carry a backpack with antibiotics 24/7 for 14 days,” she said.
Oliver (pictured) has a long road of treatment ahead of him and his father said doctors have told him the first six months of treatment will be intense.
“It’s hard to tell a two-year-old not to take it off, but he’s keeping it on, he’s doing really well and I’m really proud of him for that.”
Hospital staff told the couple that Oliver’s treatment will be intense.
“They said the first six months are very intense and one of us has to take time off work for at least six months,” Norris said.
“It all depends on whether he is scoring goals.”
His wife Melissa, who works part-time permanently at a Coles Express service station, has had to put her job and her side business on hold.
A GoFundMe campaign has been started for the family because Oliver’s mother, Melissa, had to leave her job to care for her son, as well as being there for the family’s two other children (pictured, Oliver).
‘Melissa is exhausted, she’s running out of energy. It’s been amazing, but it’s been difficult, especially with our other two children to care for.
“Utility bills have gone up, as has food. Since we are spending more time at home, we are consuming more,” she said.
“And on top of the bills, we still have to pay for hospital parking and gas.”
TO GoFundMe A project has been started to help the family pay for lost wages, bills and transportation costs.
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