Close to home

For Carla Garrett, a Woodstock Sentinel-Review crime reporter, a story in her newspaper yesterday was too close to home.

The story by Heather Rivers tells of the battle Carla's nine-month-old son, Xavier, is facing after undergoing major brain cancer surgery, with more treatments beginning today.

Carla, who has been on maternity leave from the Sun Media daily, and her husband, Mark, have been through hell for several weeks.

Their son underwent 12 hours of risky brain surgery Feb. 2 and part of a large tumour partially removed proved to be cancerous. Six weeks of chemotherapy treatments begin today at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton.

Xavier and his twin sister, Mackenzie, were born May 31, 2009.

The story says surgeons who removed about 70% of the tumour told Carla and Mark on Feb. 10 Xavier has anaplastic ependymoma, a high-grade aggressive form of brain cancer associated with a mutation of the brain stem.

Doctors say chemotherapy treatments may not be effective in treating ependymoma.

There is more in the Sentinel-Review story, but our bottom line is a trust account has been opened at TD Canada Trust at Springbank Avenue and Dundas Street in Woodstock - Account 630 8634, transit No. 227.

(The TD mailing address is 1000 Dundas Street, Woodstock, ON, N4S 0A3)

Donations will also be accepted at the front desk of the Sentinel-Review.

Money raised will help cover the cost of travel and accommodation during Xavier's treatments.

Over the years, Sun Media staffers and management have been very supportive of fellow employees in times of need, often anonymously.

Our best to Carla, Mark and young Xavier.