A 5-year-old boy from Lancashire, England, has passed away after a two year battle with hepatoblastoma, a rare cancerous tumour.
Charlie Proctor’s mother is now sharing his story to keep his memory alive.
Amber Schofield, Charlie’s mother, penned an emotional note on Facebook, writing that her son died in his sleep the previous night, “cuddled in my arms with daddy’s arms wrapped around us.”
The heartbroken mother wrote, “Last night at 23:14 my best friend, my world, Charlie, took his final breath.”
“Our hearts are aching. The world has lost an incredible little boy.”
“You have been not only our biggest inspiration but you have been an inspiration to thousands of people all over the world. You showed me what love really means Charlie,” she added. “Now it’s time to fly, I am so, so proud of you. You fought this so hard. My baby, I’m hurting so much. I will forever miss you baby bum. Sweet dreams.”
The day earlier, Schofield shared to Facebook another heartbreaking post.
“As the days go by he deteriorates more and more. He no longer looks like Charlie,” she said.
“He’s so thin, I can see and feel every bone in his tiny body, his sunken face, his rolling eyes. Where has my chunky baby gone.”
Detailing her son’s mental journey, she reflected: “He’s sad, he’s tired, he’s fed up and depressed. ‘I don’t know what to do anymore’ are his main words.”
“Today, he’s been very agitated, wanting to lay down, sit up, lay in bed, then on the beanbag, then on the sofa, then back upstairs and so on…Charlie, at one point, turned to me and said in the most quiet, painting voice, ‘Mummy, I’m so sorry for this,’” she wrote, adding that her heart broke hearing her son apologise for wanting “to move again.”
The Manchester Evening News reported Charlie was first diagnosed with hepatoblastoma in February 2016.
According to Stanford’s Children Hospital, hepatoblastoma “is a very rare cancerous tumor that starts in the liver” and “primarily affects children from infancy to about 3 years of age.”
Charlie’s parents raised money to fund a trip to the US so that he could get a liver transplant.
Celebrities rallied around Charlie’s journey, including Pink.
“Just came across this beautiful child and I would like to help him. Please help me help him if you can. Thank you 🙏. @charlies_chapter,” the singer wrote on Instagram last month.
Pink went on to donate £10,000 ($18,000) to help Charlie, The Sun reported.
Our thoughts are with Charlie’s family.
