A compassionate, polite and resilient young man from the Sutherland Shire has been given “days not weeks” to live, following an ongoing battle with cancer.
Damon Shepherd, an Engadine High School student, and his family were given the heartbreaking news this week.
The bright 18-year-old overcame neuroblastoma as a child but was diagnosed with another form of cancer, spindle cell sarcoma, in 2015. Damon has been fighting the awful disease since, undergoing four major surgeries as well as chemotherapy treatment.
His step-mum Jo Wittick said he currently spends about 20 hours each day sleeping, at Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick, due to high doses of pain medication.
She said he was a special, young man and had received great support from the hospital staff and community.
“You’d expect him at this moment to be bitter and angry but he is still saying to people ‘thank you for coming to visit me’. He is a very special kid,” Ms Wittick said. “He is very polite and compassionate and caring.”
She said it was heartbreaking to see him suffer and doctors had given him “days not weeks” to live.
“We will just not win this one. It has taken over him, [the cancer] is pressing on the liver, heart and the spine,” she said. “It is a horrible feeling because we have to continue to watch him suffer.”
A Go Fund Me page has been set up to support Damon and his family, which people can still donate towards to help with up-coming costs. His father, Paul Shepherd, and step-mum have both stopped working to care for Damon.
Ms Wittick said a big thank you to Connect Church Engadine, Toni and Guy Cronulla, Talotta's Pizzeria Kurnell, and Engadine High School who have all supported the family.
Engadine High School principal Kerrie Jones said Damon was an inspirational student and would long be remembered at the school. She said Damon was held in great regard among the Year 11 cohort.
“He will certainly be someone that will be remembered by all of his peers and someone who will be an inspiration to them when things are tough in the future because he has shown remarkable resilience.”