A HEARTBROKEN mum who lost her son to a rare form of cancer in 2022 is fighting for ‘increased awareness and funding’ - and almost 50,000 have signed a petition to help reach her goal.
Brandon Hackett, who lived in the town centre, was a ‘fit young lad’ who went to the gym and had a particular interest in weightlifting and powerlifting.
In August 2021, he started to get back pains that got progressively worse.
He, along with his mum, Clare Eager, went to the doctor only to be told that they believed it was just an overworked muscle from the gym.
The pain continued to worsen and physio sessions didn’t work and neither did the stretches he was told to do.
He was eventually diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma - a type of cancer that begins as a growth of cells in the bones and mainly affects young people - leaving 19-year-old Brandon and his family devastated.
It left him paralysed from the waist down and he underwent nine months of ‘harsh’ chemotherapy and radiotherapy, endless infections and transfusions.
However, Brandon believed he had the all-clear in June 2022.
Clare, 50, who lives off Dodworth Road, told the Chronicle: “The doctors thought that everything was fine and then in July and August he started to get stronger.
“He was even able to walk on his own without an aide.
“But towards the end of August he started to get some pains in his left shoulder.
“We thought that it might be a blood clot because of his treatment so we went to the doctors and because of his treatment they sent us straight to A and E - he wasn’t very happy about that.
“They did a scan and found sine fluid on his lungs which turned out to be pleural effusion.
“Three weeks later on September 9 he died - he didn’t get to reach his 21st birthday.”
Brandon’s death left a hole in his family’s heart that they won’t be able to fill.
Now, almost two years since Brandon’s death, Clare has started a petition in a bid to raise both awareness and funding for the rare form of cancer.
“It was a heartbreaking time - I just can’t believe that it’s almost been two years,” she said.
“I want more funding and research for the cancer - the treatment that they use is so harsh and is 30 years old.
“It’s not a very well-known cancer and more research needs to be done to help other people.”
Despite its rarity, Ewing’s sarcoma is aggressive and often results in severe disability or death.
The five-year survival rate for localised Ewing’s sarcoma is approximately 70 per cent, but this drops to between 15 and 30 per cent if the cancer has spread, according to the National Cancer Institute.
And Clare’s aim to raise more awareness has already been successful as more than 48,000 people have signed a petition for more work to be done.
“These are young people who are getting ill - they should be able to have a better life,” she added.
“We are calling on health organisations, governments, and individuals to increase their efforts in raising awareness about this devastating disease.
“We also urge more funding towards research into better treatments and hopefully one day a cure.
“I never thought that this many people would sign the petition but now I’m aiming for 100,000 signatures.
“Hopefully this will help save some lives.
“It’s such a devastating disease.”
To sign Clare’s petition, please follow the link https://www.change.org/p/increase-awareness-and-funding-for-rare-bone-cancers-like-ewing-s-sarcoma?fbclid=IwAR12eepxwvLyraHfh12jyqap9FNNzsFza1-gJ02hS8x0s3AjfK8Tp45oPOc_aem_AUA5D92wutIaf6H1xqUTy--gJvj5CN7v48qcVdI-dfuN7uQ8zsf1ygrdxD1I06Scc8U
