Many parents of children with cancer shave their heads to show their solidarity and support their children in the face of such devastating news. It is important for them to know that they have the unconditional support of their parents in a situation that is very hard for some as for others. Josh Marshall, a father from Kansas, has gone further and He has made a tattoo equal to the scar of his son Gabriel of 8 years, operated on a brain cancer, to give him confidence.
In March 2015, Gabriel was diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma, a rare malignant brain tumor, which was removed, followed by treatment for nine months.
At the moment, the operation stopped the cancer but still has to be treated The boy told his father that he felt "a monster" with the big scar that had been left on the right side of his head, so the father He did not hesitate to do the same with a tattoo tattooed in the same place as his son. Gabriel likes his father's tattoo and tells people that he and his father "are like brothers."
AdvertisingThe photo has won the first prize of the St. Baldrick's Foundation that has launched the #BestBaldDad contest of shaved parents in honor of their children. Of course, it quickly went viral, it symbolizes the shared suffering of a father and a son in the face of a disease that, when naming it, only the question comes to mind: why children?
Update 8/2/2018:
Gabriel had been fighting the disease for two years and after spending a few days in which it had worsened significantly, finally on January 29 he passed away.
His father shared on his Facebook profile a emotional letter telling how the last days had been:
"I can't even begin to describe exactly how I feel. I'm disconsolate, I'm not just losing my son, I'm losing my best friend.
Gabriel was in great pain the last week and a half. The days before this were absolutely hell! Gabe told me a few days before "Dad, my life stinks" and I couldn't disagree with him.
On Sunday I drove from KC Kansas City to Wesley to take Gabe to the E.R. because he had a lot of pain in his back and neck and had lost the function of his left side. He received dilaudid morphine-derived analgesic medication and helped him with the pain.
On Monday we woke Gabe to go see his doctor, he was a little grumpy and did not want to get up, but he did and our friend Grady passed by, then Gabe asked him if he would please accompany him to his doctor. (Gabriel loved Grady, he was his great friend!) So Grady agreed and we all went to Wichita.
Gabriel was in such a good mood we were all joking and laughing all the way there and Gabe kept saying "this is the best trip to Wichita I have had". When we arrived at Dr. Rosens, Gabe was excited to show his friend the stunning office of his doctor. Kim Rosen was chasing Gabe around the room and he was running around the room ... running! He was smiling and laughing. We talked to Dr. about calling the hospice to evaluate Gabe and help us start keeping him comfortable. Bethany Marshall and I were fine with the talk and left the office with smiles. Gabe asked when we were leaving if we could go with toys, so we did. I pushed him through the store in a wheelchair so as not to tire him, he saw this gun he really wanted, so we put it in the cart. Gabe decided that it was not fair to buy something for him and nothing for Makinzley, so he asked if he could choose a toy. He found her a Coralina doll (her favorite movie) and told Bethany "I want her to know that this is mine."
Then we paid and took his gun out of the box and gave it to him, he was very excited. When we left the store, he started to walk a little slower and when he reached the car I asked him if he was okay. He said: "Yes, I'm getting tired. We started looking back and he looked at his guns and fired, then left him. Bethany realized that he was a little scattered, so he asked again if he was okay and he again he replied that he was tired, so he left his coat on the seat and leaned his head down on the back seat, when we got home, I tried to wake him up but, when I did, it was as if he wasn't there. Sometimes they say they went to sleep but never woke up. I know I knew I wasn't going to have many good days ahead, but that day had a wonderful day, it was the best day we had in a long time.
Thanks, Gabriel for giving me one last gift ...
That incredible day that will live in my memory forever!
I love you, loot! My beautiful baby!"
