Paytan Faith McEwen (10 years old)
September 16, 2014, Paytan was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia). Her journey was such a whirlwind of events and complications! Leukaemia (cancer) is a disease of the blood causing the white blood cells go crazy! The treatment is chemotherapy to kill the cancerous blood cells.

There are many side effects of chemo, and Paytan developed quite a few in such a short time! She developed colitis (inflammation of bowel and interruption of those nerves). This resulted in her becoming septic! High fever and lots of pain! Morphine for the pain which caused hallucinations…. she also developed a high heart rate and had a seizure and would not wake up… Last Monday was put into the ICU! Multiple tests showed her pickline towards her heart was pushed too far and was tickling her heart causing the high heart rate, and that the seizure was a result of her developing a condition called Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES). It is so very rare for a child to develop these side effects all at the same time! She spend 16 days in I.C.U.

 Paytan’s daddy died not quite three years ago of complications of diabetes (type 1), March 21, 2011. This little one lived through seeing her daddy having to battle this disease with highs and lows, multiple hospital visits, home dialysis, kidney transplant and both leg amputations…. And ultimately death. This is something NO child should have to live through…. And then Paytan developed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia!