Danville Toddler Fights For Life Upon Rare Cancer Diagnosis

DANVILLE, CA — He is just like any other toddler. He likes the park and to scooter. He adores his three older siblings.

"Believe it or not, two weeks ago, we had no idea that Ben was sick," Shannon Rutherford told Patch.

On Feb. 24, 2-year-old Danville resident Benjamin Rutherford was roughhousing with his dad, Shawn, and older brother when they discovered the hard lump in his side. The panicked family rushed the toddler to the emergency room and less than two hours later, after a blood test and an ultrasound, doctors diagnosed Ben with a rare childhood kidney cancer called nephroblastoma, which is commonly referred to a Wilms tumor. He was immediately transferred by ambulance to Kaiser in Oakland.

After undergoing emergency surgery to remove the tumor and his left kidney, doctors told Shannon and Shawn Rutherford that their son was misdiagnosed. Ben was actually suffering from stage 4 Neuroblastoma and the cancer has metastasized to his bones, bone marrow and throughout his tiny body.

"Shawn and I were devastated," Rutherford told Patch.

Rutherford said Wilms was very treatable and has a 90 percent survival rate. Stage 4 neuroblastoma is far more complicated and rare. The oncologist told the Rutherfords that their son’s marrow is "loaded with neuroblastoma." Her baby will now spend the next year of his life fighting to stay alive.

Rutherford said Ben has a 30 to 50 percent chance of growing up to be a man.

"Whether he has a year to live or 60, we want the rest of his life to be beautiful, just like he is," Rutherford said. "Ben is the sweetest, most gentle soul and we are going to do everything in our power to make his life joyful while we fight with every ounce of our being to kill the cancer in his bones and get him through this alive."

Ben is the youngest of four siblings. Lucie, John and Julia have kept busy with school and sports during Ben’s treatment. Rutherford has been in the hospital with Ben since he was admitted while Shawn holds down the fort at home with the kids. The Danville community has rallied for the family of six.

"Our San Ramon Valley Little League family has been one of our biggest support systems, even singling John out before the first game of the season to make sure he knew that the league has his back as his little brother fights cancer," Rutherford said.

Family friends have created a GoFundMe page to help the Rutherfords with the costs associated with Ben’s treatment.

Click here to donate.

Ben has just completed one of five chemotherapy treatments and will soon be discharged from the hospital.

His mother, a photographer, is documenting his journey in a heartbreaking and painfully honest online journal. Follow their story here.

See Also:

• Pleasanton Dad Fighting For Life Needs Live Liver Donor
  

Photos of the Rutherfords courtesy GoFundMe

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