Above:Jordan Rampton at school for a day with his
By Sarah Schwager
THIS year’s MRA Cranbourne GP Run held double the excitement for a Blind Bight boy and his family.
Not only did Jordan Rampton win tickets to the MotoGP in Phillip Island on Saturday, he was alive and healthy enough to see it.
Last year, nine-year-old Jordan attended the GP Run in a wheelchair as his body fought off an aggressive brain tumour.
In April last year Jordan’s parents Tony and Ingrid Rampton became concerned when he started having headaches and vomiting.
While the tests came up normal, a CAT scan “just to be on the safe side” revealed a rare tumour the size of a golf ball at the back of his brain.
Jordan was sent straight to the hospital for an operation to have the tumour removed.
Doctors said that if the tumour grew any more it would have been too late.
“Most kids start losing their balance and slurring their words but Jordan was fine. He was very lucky,” he said.
The Tooradin Primary School grade three student missed nearly a year of school as he underwent radiotheraphy and chemotherapy.
He returned to school at the beginning of the year. By March he was out of his wheelchair and using a walking frame.
“He’s not at the stage where he’s running yet but he’s doing a lot better,” Mr Rampton said.
Jordan now wears hearing aids to help him hear better in crowded areas as his ears were affected by the radiotherapy and he also has regular physiotherapy sessions to bring back his physical movement.
Despite needing constant check-ups until he is 30 years old, the age of the oldest survivor of the rare disease, Jordan is a lot better.
“There is still no guarantee it won’t come back but we have passed three check-ups since he was given the all clear,” Mr Rampton said.
He was looking healthy and excited on Saturday as he prepared to watch the motorbikes whiz off down High Street, Cranbourne.
He and his brother Cameron, 12, and close friends, Tooradin twin brothers Raymond and Jack Abrehart, 9, were rapt at having won tickets to the MotoGP.
Raymond had to name an Australian rider in the Grand Prix to win the tickets.
“We just came down to see all the riders,” Raymond said. “Now it’s going to be more exciting than we thought.”
Mr Rampton said that as soon as the road cleared after the motorbikes headed off, he and the four boys drove down to Phillip Island.
Raymond and Jack’s mum Julie Abrehart said the boys had a great time and had really enjoyed getting to experience the Grand Prix.
Mr Rampton said the family was now looking forward to the future.
“So far he’s been pretty good. The teachers are happy with his progress despite missing a year of school. We will take it as it comes,” he said.
