For most seven-year-olds, life is filled with school, sport, video games and endless adventures. For Coen, it’s all of those things too — but alongside them, he has faced challenges that most people couldn’t imagine.
A passionate Cronulla Sharks supporter, Pokémon collector, Mario Kart enthusiast and car karaoke champion, Coen is a bright, resilient little boy who loves life. Yet behind his infectious smile is a journey that has seen him spend almost his entire life fighting brain cancer.
At just 15 months old, during the uncertainty of the 2020 lockdowns, Coen’s family received the devastating news that no parent should ever have to hear. He was diagnosed with Posterior Fossa Ependymoma, with cancer cells in his cerebrospinal fluid causing multiple tumours within his brain.
What followed was years of treatment, hospital stays and incredible courage. Coen has undergone four brain surgeries to remove multiple tumours, three rounds of radiation, two clinical trials and is currently undertaking oral chemotherapy in the hope of buying more precious time.
Despite everything he has endured, Coen along with his loving Mum, Amanda, Dad, James, and baby brother Logan, continue to face each day with remarkable strength, and gratitude for the time they have together.
