Hunter Reid was 22-months-old in October, 2016, when he died after battling a brain tumour, the little boy showing so much strength and continuing to find joy in life until the end.
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"He's a lot stronger than I am," his mother Helen Read said.
"We're proud of him, very proud of him."
The adorable toddler who loved animals, swimming at the beach and going through the utensil drawer in the kitchen was a delight to his parents, Helen, a nurse at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Canberra Hospital, and Ryan, who runs his own business, Betta Bins.
"He loved everything. Everything was exciting. Everything was awesome," Helen said.
When Hunter became sick on a weekend in February, 2016, , vomiting, Helen and her local doctor suspected gastritis. She took him to the Canberra Hospital the next day where he went through a number of tests, including neurological. Everything appeared normal.He stayed overnight.
"He seemed better in the morning and also a bit happier," Helen said.
But only a couple of hours later, Hunter was listless and "really sleepy". As he was sitting on his mum's lap, he had "what looked like a seizure".
"He let out this pretty horrendous noise," Helen said.
"I'm a nurse in NICU and I've heard that noise before. It's an irritable brain noise. He lent back and went stiff and stopped moving. I just freaked out."
Medical staff responded immediately. Hunter underwent scans with thoughts he might have meningitis. He was ventilated in ICU. And then the results came in that Hunter had a brain tumour.
"And that seemed like the dumbest thing ever," Helen said. "It was like, 'No, not our kid'."
He had a drain put in his head and was flown by CareFlight to the Randwick Children's Hospital. Hunter had been admitted to the Canberra Hospital on the Tuesday, Wednesday he was in Sydney fighting for his life. Friday he was in surgery to remove the tumour. It was removed but had metastasised, sending cancer cells over his brain.
Hunter was too young for radiation but did undergo chemotherapy. He was in a coma for a month, receiving the treatment even as he was ventilated.
"He did actually wake up. They told us he wouldn't and if he did, he would have extensive brain damage," Helen said.
Hunter, for a while, defied the odds. He lost movement in his right arm but that was restored with physiotherapy. He had chemotherapy for 10 months, including with trial drugs, sensitive to his particular cells. He was their little boy, returned.
Then the tumour started to grow back in a different spot and he started having major seizures. The anti-seizure medication was so strong he "stopped being himself". His condition deteriorated. Hunter passed away on October 10, 2016.
"It became obvious he'd had enough," Helen said.
"I could never have done what he did. I've never seen a kid go through as much as he did."
To honour Hunter, his parents hold the Annual Hunter Reid Fun Run and Walk. The event is also to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House, his parents staying at the one in Randwick throughout his treatment.
"I don't know what we would have done without them. They were like family," Helen said.
The fun run and walk is around Lake Tuggeranong on Sunday. Registration is from 7.30am at the stage in Tuggeranong Town Park. There is a 3km option as well as the full 7km route. A raffle and auction will also be held from 11am. There are also 500 gift bags for entrants.
Registration is $5 per person. Children under 10 have free entry.
There will be Canberra Raiders players in attendance. One of the big auction items will be a 2017 World Cup rugby league jersey signed by the Australian team and donated by Mal Meninga. Champion runner Melissa Breen will also be there.
Some of the raffle items include vouchers for hot rock massages and day spa treats. Other items include wine, a night away in Batemans Bay, Stihl blower and Club Lime gym memberships.
Helen and Ryan, now have a seven-month-old daughter, Georgia. They will always remember and be grateful for the love and support they received caring for Hunter.
"This fun run is very dear to our hearts and it's our way to give back and support the special men and women that work and volunteer at Ronald McDonald House but also the families that are there going through some of the hardest times in their life," Helen said.
