By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Berwick’s Jack Ottens is booked in for the first stage of vital life-saving treatment in coming weeks.
The brilliant 11-year-old has survived two near-fatal ruptures in his brain due to a rare medical condition – an arterioveinous malformation.
He starts his pioneering treatment in Sydney on 24 July.
It is Jack’s best hope of a full and productive life though not without its risks, mother Christine Ottens says.
The refined LINAC and Gamma Knife radiation treatment initially increases the probability of a rupture.
There’s also up to 20 per cent of full left-side paralysis, with up to 40 per cent chance of brain tumours in the next 20 years.
“We’ll keep pushing through and hopefully find the other side of this or at least a better place for him,” Ms Ottens said.
The Mensa-listed student has a keen interest in insects, astronomy and natural science. While sick, his family has been fighting to get him a decent schooling in the public education system.
The family is desperately turning to crowd-funding to help cover the treatment’s cost.
It comes on top of the imminent adoption of an medic alert dog to detect Jack’s sudden medical downturns.
To help Jack, go to https://www.gofundme.com/jackottens
