Calvin's Story

Calvin is a cheerful, playful two-and-a-half-year-old born and raised in North Vancouver. In late September 2025, his daycare noticed he was unusually bloated and called for an early pickup. He had a visible lump on the left side of his abdomen, which was initially thought to be constipation.

After three days of visits to Lions Gate Hospital, an ultrasound revealed devastating news: they'd found a large mass on or near Calvin's left kidney. We were immediately sent to BC Children's Hospital for further testing. Once we arrived at the ER we were met by a resident oncologist. And with that, the reality set in—our little boy likely had cancer.

Calvin was admitted to the 8th-floor oncology ward, where we stayed for the next three weeks. CT scans showed a mass measuring 20 cm in length, potentially fused to his pancreas and colon. Due to its size and location, doctors recommended a six-week cycle of chemotherapy to shrink the tumour and improve surgical outcomes. Cal then underwent a biopsy to tailor his chemotherapy, followed by a minor surgery to place a chemotherapy port.

The diagnosis soon followed: Stage 3 nephroblastoma (Wilms tumour), the most common kidney cancer in children, typically affecting ages two to five. One week later, chemotherapy began—treatment Calvin has continued to face like a true champion.

On November 26th, with confidence from the surgical team, Calvin underwent a 3.5-hour nephrectomy. Surgeons removed his left kidney, a 1.3-pound tumour, and several lymph nodes for biopsy.

After recovering from surgery, Calvin completed six rounds of radiation in early December 2025. Just before Christmas, he resumed chemotherapy, which he is expected to complete by the end of June 2026.

Throughout this journey, BC Children's Hospital has been an incredible source of support for our family. We have been deeply touched by the compassion and dedication of the staff, who go above and beyond to help children like Calvin feel safe, cared for, and understood every step of the way.