McComb said Declan would have to fully recover from the operation, which removed most of the tumour, before starting a nine-day round of stronger chemo in the new year. The tumour in Declan's brain grew after he underwent chemotherapy. Photo / SuppliedMcComb first realised something was wrong in late October when her friend noticed Declan’s fontanelle was larger than normal. An MRI at Wellington Hospital then found a 4cm tumour in Declan’s brain, which McComb later learned was a choroid plexus papilloma. McComb said he never showed any symptoms of being ill, like vomiting or acting unhappy, apart from the fontanelle, she said.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 21, 2025 02:27 UTC