A mom has shared a heartbreaking photo of her daughter comforting her cancer-sick little brother as he leans over the toilet to be sick.
Little Beckett Burge was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia – a type of blood cancer – when he was just two years old, and has undergone a series of tough treatments since.
According to reports, Beckett has received chemotherapy, as well as blood and platelet transfusions, all the while facing this terrible disease with admirable strength and determination.
In the photo in question he can be seen leaning over the toilet to be sick, and his big sister Aubrey is there with him all the way.
Kaitlin Burge, of Princeton, Texas, has many reasons to be thankful, but one I think we can all share in is that her son, Beckett, has been given the all-clear from cancer.
Back in 2019, the Burge family went viral when Kaitlin posted a picture of Beckett – then 4 – to social media as he was in the midst of his chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2018.
In the image, Beckett stood over a toilet bowl, being comforted by his older sister, Aubrey, now 7.
The mom of three said she decided to upload the image to show the world the importance of strong family bonds when the going is at its toughest.
“She didn’t know what was happening, but she knew from experience that when she was sick, we would rub her back and help her through it,” she wrote.
“She just picked up from experience and took over. She’d rub his back and tell him it was going to be okay, clean his face up and wash his hands for him.
“Right after that happened, she also carried him back to the living room and put him on the couch. She asked me she could clean up the bathroom too, but I told her to go and sit down because that wasn’t her job.
“She takes it upon herself to help and make sure everything he comes into contact with is clean. She’s another set of eyes.”
Kaitlin proceeded to talk about the connection between Aubrey and Beckett, stating: “When I see them together, it makes me happy but at the same time it makes me sad. They have an incredible bond. To this day, they are closer, she always takes care of him.
“A child that’s four or five years old should be outside playing with their friends. She loves gymnastics and we had to put a stop to that because of the financial burden, it got too expensive with his situation.
“She should be out doing gymnastics, running around the neighbourhood with the kids, playing in the playground, swimming in the pool – but here she is taking care of her brother.
“They’re very close – they always played together. He’d play dolls with her and she’d play superheroes with him. We encourage her to go outside and do things, but she’d rather have her eyes on him.”
Update
As per the New York Post, Kaitlin revealed recently that Beckett – now 6 – has been given the all-clear from cancer.
“When we heard he’d got the all-clear, it was so exciting,” she said. “His oncologist came in and said, ‘No more chemo. We’re done. Get rid of everything.’”
She continued: “He’s officially done with it and it is a bittersweet moment.
“You think you’ll be all happy, but now it’s kind of scary because you don’t have that chemo as a reassurance the cancer’s going to stay away. It’ll be a whole new world.”
As for Beckett’s response, Kaitlin said: “Beckett was shocked [when he got the all clear]. His face lit up but then he said he didn’t want his [chemotherapy] port out because he knew it’d kept him alive.
“He has a bit of nerves.”
He received his last chemo in August, and in mid-October he had his port removed.
We’re wishing Becket Burge all the best of luck moving forward! What a brave boy he truly is!
And how lucky is he to have such a kind and caring sister as Aubrey?
Share this article if their photo restored just some of your faith in humans.
