A teenager suspected of having glandular fever was later diagnosed with a rare blood cancer that took his life, leaving his family devastated.
Ozzie Rogers from Magherafelt was only 15-years-old when he started to feel ill.
Loving life, Ozzie, who loved to play Rugby and play his guitar, came off the pitch on a Saturday afternoon to tell his mum Miranda that he had "the best game ever."
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But just four days later, in October 2018, the young Northern Ireland teenager's life would begin to change forever when he left a Rugby pitch feeling unwell and short of breath.
The next morning the glands in his neck were swollen and he had flu-like symptoms, leaving him feeling very tired, and pale.
Doctors originally suspected glandular fever, but a conclusive negative test later ruled that out.
His parents took him back to the doctors to have his bloods done, and that's when they got the call to go straight to A&E.
Ozzie was admitted on October 8 2018, and the following morning he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.
The Co Derry teenager had to spend the next three months in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children receiving chemotherapy and later had access to Paul's House in Belfast through support from Young Lives v Cancer.
Mum Miranda told MyDerry : “We were so very grateful to have access to Paul’s House.
"It was a short walk through the hospital to its back door and then directly across the road a warm inviting house was our haven to rest, cook food for Ozzie and wash clothing and blankets he wanted from home. My husband and I lived in Paul's House for over three months at the start whilst Ozzie underwent treatment.
"We spent Christmas day in Paul's House, with a local pub supplying my family with a beautiful Christmas dinner."
Unfortunately, Ozzie’s leukaemia did not respond as well as hoped. He developed a fungal infection in his lungs, sickness, and constant temperatures. He also suffered moderate heart damage and lost 17kg in weight.
In March 2019, the family headed to Bristol as Ozzie required a bone marrow transplant.
“We stayed in Sam's House a short distance from the Children's Hospital" Miranda added.
"Sam's House is where we met other families from the UK and made some great friends whilst spending 10 weeks in Bristol. Sam's House was homely and so well equipped.
"We felt safe there in a big city. Ozzie's young brother even came over to stay with us in Bristol.
"It was no problem, as our room had one double bed and two single beds. It was so special for us to be all together and spend Easter as a family.”
Within a couple of months of going home from Bristol just few days after his 16th birthday, Ozzie fell unwell again, leaving the family with another spell in Paul's House.
However, after a month of further chemo treatment, the family were homebound and life was beginning to go back to as normal as the family had remembered.
Ozzie started to enjoy life again, playing his beloved guitar, the house filled with the sounds of Metallica and managed the odd cycle ride.
However, in March 2020 the family's life was turned upside down again, in the midst of a pandemic, when Ozzie began to deteriorate fast over the next six months.
In August, parents Miranda and Simon were told that their son would not have long left to live.
Miranda continued: "As Ozzie deteriorated through his treatment, Simon decided to be close and move into Amy's House while I stayed at the hospital.
"We wanted to be close to Ozzie as he was fighting hard but we received devastating news in August that Ozzie was near the end of life and receiving palliative care to manage his symptoms. On September 10 our precious son so sadly and devastatingly passed away.”
Ozzie's passing left his family devastated and caused an outpouring of grief in the local community.
His family have set up a charity sportive in his memory on what would have been his 19th birthday weekend to support Young Lives vs Cancer.
His dad Simon designed a plectrum in his memory which became the logo for the ‘Ozzie t-shirts’ cyclists wore during the charity cycle.
The children and young people’s cancer charity means a great deal to the family as they stayed at both of their Homes from Home in Belfast (Paul’s House and Amy’s House) whilst Ozzie received his cancer treatment.
The Homes provide families with free accommodation when their child is having treatment and they give them the chance to cook their favourite meals, do laundry, and be together during really difficult times.
Last year, 47 families stayed at Paul’s House in Belfast with the longest stay of 104 days, while 48 families stayed at Amy’s House, with the longest stay being 322 days.
The Rogers donation has secured 392 nights for other families.
“My family are so eternally grateful for Young Lives versus Cancer," Miranda said. "Their support and kindness in looking after us with their social care and providing a "home from home" in Belfast and Bristol. We will be forever grateful.”
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