Puppets play part in cancer recovery

7-year-old Elijsha Blackburn who has acute lymphoblastic leukemia had his school, North Balga Primary, visted by puppets Dean with Jason Bird and Kylie with Garreth Bradshaw from Camp Quality. Picture: Steve Ferrier /The West Australian

Rebecca Barnes knows how precious every moment is with her son.

After she got the news in August 2010 that her then five-year-old son Elijsha Blackburn had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, everything changed.

"I take pictures of absolutely everything, I think he's sick of it now," Ms Barnes, 29, said.

Elijsha has been enduring aggressive chemotherapy for more than two years as he battles the disease.

"He has chemo tablets every night, he has a lot of medications," Ms Barnes said.

Elijsha lost weight, was lethargic and lost all his hair during early treatment.

Courses of steroids, a common treatment for children with the condition, caused him to puff up and made him hungry all the time.

He was fitted with a port in his stomach so he had to give up martial arts, his regular sport.

But because of weight gain and hair loss, Elijsha was bullied when he returned to class at North Balga primary.

"His self-esteem has taken a huge knock," Ms Barnes said.

Elijsha took part in a program run by Camp Quality, which sent a puppet show to his school to educate his classmates about the effects of cancer.

"Often when the child is returned to school after the treatment they look different from their peers," Camp Quality spokesman Gary Nunn said.

"It teaches people how to be supportive and understanding of pupils living with cancer."