TORONTO -- A toddler’s battle against brain cancer has united an Ontario community, culminating in a parade to celebrate the child’s inspiring recovery.

Shortly after his first birthday, Eddy Wilbrink’s health took a downward spiral.

“Eddy was diagnosed with Stage 4 medulloblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer. He started showing signs when he was ten-and-a-half-months,” his mother Kate Edwards-Wilbrink said. “He stopped walking and then began vomiting profusely.”

Edwards-Wilbrink, who works in the health-care field, said she began to rule out everything from lactose intolerance to celiac disease. Eddy’s condition continued to deteriorate until an emergency MRI at Toronto’s SickKids Hospital delivered devastating news.

“We were told he had a tangerine-sized tumour on his brain. I asked if this was serious, expecting surgery within a few months and they said they would be performing surgery that night or the next morning,” Edwards-Wilbrink said.

The next six months would prove to be the most trying the family has ever seen.

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Eddy is one of six children in the Edward-Wilbrink’s blended family.

Although the initial surgery to remove Eddy’s tumour was successful, multiple rounds of chemotherapy led to several life-threatening infections. Compounding their struggles, Edwards-Wilbrink’s husband, Ben, was laid off from his job installing security cameras amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, while she’s been on EI since Eddy’s surgery in October.

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The outpouring of support from online well-wishes has helped keep the family afloat. A GoFundMe page has raised more than $15,000 and counting.

Eddy finished his final round of chemotherapy on May 2 and two days later a parade was held in his honour. More than 70 vehicles honked their support as they passed by the family’s home in Oshawa.

“It’s overwhelming. We expected 10 people. He’s doing great now. He’s running and talking. He knows all his siblings names. He’s seriously a rock star,” Edwards-Wilbrink said.

“We always saw cancer as a long, dark, claustrophobic tunnel. It’s terrible being in the tunnel. If Eddy’s story can be the light at the end of the tunnel for someone we want to get it out there. It’s been amazing to see everyone come together. He’s miraculous.”