9-year-old faces death with courage
Ever so often, we here at News Five have the opportunity to meet some very special people facing almost insurmountable challenges. In this next story, we’d like to introduce you to 9-year-old Kurl Kingston, a young boy who’s in the fight of his life. And hopefully, his story will have a happy ending.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The scars on the face of 9-year-old Kurl Kingston are not the result of the normal challenges of childhood. This remarkable child is fighting for his life. Although Kingston looks normal and healthy, a tumor, the size of a small potato, is growing inside the boy’s head.
Fabiana Kingston, Mother
“I had to be strong because I feel so…I don’t know how I felt. I said God you gave me a son for 9 years and I know you are not going to take him back.”
Kingston was born a healthy baby boy and weighed in at 8 and three quarter pounds at birth. However, 5 years later, the boy started having problems. He had difficulty walking, talking and often complained of headaches. And then the little boy began to experience blackouts.
Fabiana Kingston
“About 4 years ago, he started to faint and sometimes on his way to school somebody would pick him up and bring him and we would take him to the hospital, they would stitch him and give him something for pain and Kurl continued like this up to April this year when he really got weak.”
Doctors recommended a cat scan and immediately detected the brain tumor. Pediatrician Dr. Egbert Grinage is one doctor who has come to the family’s assistance.
Dr. Egbert Grinage, Pediatrician
“He did on my exam showed some loss of coordination, balance and walking and he was unable to put his finger his index finger on the point of his nose which is one of the test we used.”
Kingston is taking medication that has helped to control the tumor’s devastating effects, but he desperately needs an operation. If the tumor is left untreated, this young boy will die.
Dr. Egbert Grinage
“This condition is very life threatening because if it goes uncorrected, the pressure on his brain could develop to an extent where it compresses the vital parts of his brain and it could lead to a coma of which there is no return. It could press all those vital centres that control breathing, the rate at which your heart beats and that can cause him to stop breathing.”
Unfortunately, that delicate surgery cannot be performed here as there is no proper facility in Belize. Dr. Grinage and a number of other concerned people have been trying to get Kingston out of the country to get the immediate help he needs.
Dr. Egbert Grinage
“The neurosurgeon, who eventually takes care of Kurl will try to as completely as possible try to remove this tumor and then if any tumor is left or if any of his studies show that it has spread anywhere that is called his neural axis, that is from his brain to his spinal cord, then he would need radiation and or chemotherapy to completely cure him.”
Because Kingston’s condition can worsen if he is stressed or pressured, in May the Standard 3 student of Tea Kettle Government School had to put his education on hold. Kingston admits he does not mind the break from school as even recess was not a favorite time.
Kurl Kingston, 9-years-old
“Because when I go to school I just go and stay there and I don’t play with my friends and they say boy, lets go play and then they force me and say boy play, man.”
Sadly, the Kingston family does not have the money needed to save their son’s life. Today the family is asking the public to assist them in anyway possible.
Fabiana Kingston
“I am asking the ministries and even the public right now in any way even if it is in prayers that I would like their support.”
If you would like to assist the Kingston family in getting help for their son, you can contact My Refuge Radio Station in Roaring Creek or Channel Five.
