Cancer versus cricket

DANIEL RICHARDSON - Manawatu Standard

Last updated 12:00 18/11/2010

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WARWICK SMITH/Manawatu Standard

WAITING TO GET OUT: Harry Wenham is hoping he will be released from hospital to play cricket on Friday.

WARWICK SMITH/Manawatu Standard

HAPPIER TIMES: Harry Wenham takes to the pitch.

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Harry   Wenham wants to get out of his hospital bed and play cricket for Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School tomorrow.

For that to happen his Neutrophil (white blood cell) levels need to have increased by either tonight, or tomorrow morning.

The 12-year-old was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in July, after a lump on his neck was tested by doctors.

Neutrophils are the most common type of white blood cell, comprising about between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of all white blood cells in the body and without them his immune system becomes weakened.

His teammates are the Manawatu regional Milo Cup champions and are to meet Taranaki's Francis Douglas Memorial College in an elimination game in Whanganui tomorrow.

The winner of the match goes on to play the Wellington champions for a spot in the finals to be played in Palmerston North early next month.

Harry played against Hawke's Bay's Hereworth School on Monday, but was admitted to hospital after the game because his temperature went above 38 degrees Celsius.

His Neutrophil count was as low as 0.09 yesterday, and his doctor told him it needed to increase to 0.5 before he could play.

"I'm most probably not going to get out," he sighed. "But hopefully I can, it's really a matter of time with the antibiotics."

His weak immune system means he can't go to school or other public places.

But, because cricket is played outdoors, there's less chance of him catching an infection and the doctors allow him to play if he is healthy enough.

He said his favourite sport keeps him going during the hard times of doctor visits and chemotherapy cycles at Auckland's Starship children's hospital and he'd be gutted if he couldn't play.

The opening batsman and off-spin bowler, who also plays for the Manawatu under-14 representative side, said he didn't know what to think when he was told he had cancer.

"I was kind of happy in a way that I got to go to Auckland," he said.

"But I was worried that I was going to be sick all day sitting in a chair, but it's been different than I expected."

His mother, Rachel Wenham, said it was a gruelling experience as the doctors also discovered a tumour in his chest.

"He's really positive, but it's been a hard slog for him," she said

Hospital breakout gets Harry a game

DANIEL RICHARDSON - Manawatu

ROBERT KITCHIN/Manawatu Standard

BAMBOOZLER: Despite Harry Wenham's efforts yesterday, Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School are out of the Milo Cup

Cancer survivor Harry Wenham's dramatic late inclusion to the side could not stop Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School's 1st XI cricket team being knocked out of the Milo Cup yesterday.

The 12-year-old, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in July, was allowed out of Palmerston North Hospital to be part of the game, but his side lost to Francis Douglas Memorial College by 19 runs in the final 16 match at Victoria Park in Whanganui.

On Thursday, the Manawatu Standard reported how the cricket-mad youngster had been resting in hospital, hoping to be given the all-clear to assist his side to victory in yesterday's match.

As Intermediate Normal's opening batsman and a handy bowler and fielder, Harry was determined to overcome a recent setback in his illness to help his side in the must-win Milo Cup game.

However, while he was given the all-clear and took to the pitch yesterday, his gallant efforts could not help his side to victory.

Francis Douglas batted first and made 133 for eight, with Harry collecting one wicket for 24 runs from his seven overs by bamboozling the opposition with his tricky off-spin.

"I was happy with that," he said after the game, although disappointed that his team lost.

But he was lucky to have even taken the field, after he was told he needed to increase his Neutrophil (white blood cell) level to 0.5 from 0.09.

His final count was not even close to 0.5, but on Thursday the doctors said he could play, on the proviso he wore a mask around the other children to avoid infection.

Harry opened the batting, but only managed 12 as Palmerston North were bowled out for 115.

"The bowlers were too slow and I played it too early," he said.

Harry's mother, Rachel, said he played well given how sick he was.

"He didn't disgrace himself," she said. "He had a screaming headache all the way home."

Harry returned to hospital last night, with his Neutrophil count at 0.14 and was to stay there until it increased to 0.5

Back in Hospital . Febrile Neutropaenic

On the way home from Havelock North on Monday I started to not feel very well.. By 10:30 p.m that night my temperature was 38.6 degrees. Mum numbed up my port rang the Childrens ward at the hospital and off we went. My temperature stayed above 38 degrees all night. What was worse the did my blood tests and my neutriphils were only 0.03. I have nothing to fight infection with. I also have mouth ulcers and cold sores and I am really angry about being here. I really want to play in the Milo Cup game against Francis Douglas on Friday.My Haemoglobin is also not very high so I have been a bit tired. I get woken up all night being hooked up to antibiotics and for temperature and blood pressure checks so I might be tired because of that. Today is Thursday and Im still here!! My neutriphils are only 0.06 this morning and they say Im not allowed out of here until they are at least 0.5!! I will be here forever. Im pretty angry about that and I am still trying to get to play cricket tomorrow. They are ringing Starship to see if I can and they will look at my bloods in the morning. I have to be out of here by 9am.

Milo Cup Cricket for PNINS

PNINS my school cricket Team is the Top Intermediate Cricket Team in my region. We are trying to make the Top 4 playoffs for the Country on December 3rd and 4th in Palmerston North.
On Monday 15th November we had to play the top Hawkes Bay Team who were Hereworth School. We played at their school in Havelock North. We won the toss and choose to field first. The Hereworth Team got off to a solid start, they lost their 1st wicket at 44 runs. Their opener made 53 but the rest of the team had a major collapse and they were all out for 126 runs. Mason Hughes took 5 wickets for 24 runs and Nate hit one of them on the head! He should have been wearing a helmet. I opened the batting with Liam Gunning I was enjoying it out there and playing good solid shots but sadly I got caught for 4 runs from a sneaky moving fielder !! Tom O'Connor our captain ended our innings on 49 not out he played great shots and Liam made 21.We were really happy with the win. We are now Top 16 in the country. Our Next Game is Friday 19th November against the Top Taranaki Team. Francis Douglas School we are playing in Wanganui.

Cycle 2 Day 29 and Day 36 Chemo in Starship

On November the 1st I flew up to Auckland to have Day 29 Chemo.It didn't go very well because I was very sick after it, bad vomiting and headaches.It took all week to get rid of the nausea.
Cricket that weekend went well, on Saturday we played and beat Ross Intermediate. I made 43 runs and took 1 wicket. Then on Sunday Rep cricket started we played Horowhenua Kapiti and beat them. I didnt get to bat but I bowled 10 overs 2 wickets for 22 runs.
Monday the 8th it was time time go back to Starship for Day 36 Chemo. I didnt want to go back this morning. When we got there we talked to the Dr. and he started me on some other steroids which stopped me being so sick. What was bad was the really bad port access the nurse did. She missed the spot that had been numbed and it really really hurt. Then she couldn't draw out any blood from my port, she could get stuff in but no blood out. They thought it had a clot on the end of the tube that closed off the line when sucked back.
That was Cycle 2 finished hopefully we are half way through treatment now