Spending just over half of his life in hospital Jackson Pianta is one of 135 Australian children aged under four years old diagnosed with leukemia every year.
At only seven months old Jackson was diagnosed with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Jackson’s uncle Shaun Pianta said he and the family were doing their bit to help raise awareness.
Mr Pianta and several members of his family shaved their heads, dyed their hair blue and started growing mustaches to raise awareness and help raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation to go towards research to help find a cure.
Going through chemotherapy, being in recovery and then relapsing is still not enough to wipe the smile off this little Jackson’s face, especially when his family come to visit.
Mr Pianta recently visited Jackson last weekend, along with the rest of the family and said he was very excited to see other people with bald heads.
”He is still such a happy little boy and is always running around. He’s a little fighter,” he said.
Next week Jackson will undergo a bone marrow transplant at the Royal Perth Children Hospital.
”He has been in hospital ever since undergoing more chemotherapy and will sometimes come out and go to Ronald McDonald house but he’s not allowed to go home,” he said.
“After he was diagnosed he went through rounds of chemotherapy and was in hospital for around nine months until he got the all clear and got to go home. Then he relapsed and it came back again early this year.”
Mr Pianta said his brother Marc and sister-in-law Michelle were very distraught seeing their little boy sick.
“There’s nothing they can do, they have to be as strong as they can to help support him to get him through it,” he said.
Auntie Karen Butcher said they chose to dye their hair blue because it's the colour associated with the Leukaemia Foundation.
“I wasn't brave enough to shave my head just now so thought colouring could also bring some awareness. It has certainly done that. Everyone I speak to asks me, why the blue hair?,” she said.
“We don't get to see Jackson and his family very often as he is usually in hospital receiving treatment. We got visit on Sunday and while initially he was a bit wary of our silly hair he was soon laughing and playing and didn't want us to leave.”
On September 25, DeAnna’s Hair Design will be having a men’s night where any men’s haircut, shampoo and massage between 4 – 7:30pm will be free. A donation will be asked instead, which will go towards supporting Jackson and the Children’s Leukaemia and Cancer Research Foundation.
Collie’s Plus Fitness 24 hour gym will also be holding a 24 hour bike ride for Jackson starting on Saturday, October 6 to raise money to go towards Jackson and the foundation.
To help donate, go to www.gofundme.com.