Michael Bublé on son’s battle with deadly disease – ‘it’s so painful to talk about’

Michael Buble plays music with his wife Luisana Lopilato

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The Canadian singer and actress wife Luisana Lopilato were understandably heartbroken when they found out that Noah had liver cancer hepatoblastoma, a rare tumour that originates in the cells in the liver. After receiving the news, Bublé immediately cancelled upcoming gigs including a performance at the BBC Music Awards and hosting the 2017 Brit Awards. Noah, who was only three years old at the time of his diagnosis, then went through a brutal period of chemotherapy to try and rid him of the disease.

In a joint Facebook statement at the time, Bublé and his wife Luisanna admitted that thy were “devastated,” but vowed that they would win the upcoming “battle”.

Thankfully for the family, and to the fans relief it seemed that after initial treatment Noah was overcoming his condition.

In 2017 Bublé released another statement that read: “We are so grateful to report that our son Noah has been progressing well during his treatment and the doctors are very optimistic about the future for our little boy.

“He has been brave throughout and we continue to be inspired by his courage.

“We thank God for the strength he has given all of us.”

Reflecting on the horrific experience, Bublé talked about the impact that the diagnosis had on them all. Speaking on the Today show in America he said: “It sucked.

“And it still sucks, because we went through what was the worst possible thing that you could hear as a parent and maybe as a human being.

“I’d much rather it’d have been me. I wished that many times, I wished that it happened to me.”

In order to raise awareness and funds for cancer research, the star took part in a Stand Up to Cancer Carpool Karaoke special, talking candidly about his son’s disease.

Bublé said: “It’s so hard to have to acknowledge it ’cause it’s so painful to talk about. But, obviously, we got the diagnosis and that was it, man. My whole life ended.

“He was three. And, so, listen… It’s not good… At first, it was just… It’s too hard to talk about it, man. Basically, they just said that it wasn’t great and so we took it day by day. My sisters, my mum, my dad, my parents, my wife’s family… They all pulled their kids out of school and we all moved.”

With their family surrounding them, Noah slowly recovered from the disease. In 2017, in only their second statement after releasing the news, Bublé said that Noah was “progressing well”.

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A post shared by Michael Bublé (@michaelbuble)

Liver cancer hepatoblastoma usually affects individuals in early childhood, and if not caught early can spread to other parts of the body, including the lungs.

Great Ormond Street explains that the liver is one of the largest, yet most complex organs in the body. It has a number of important functions, making liver cancer a life-threatening condition.

Some individuals do not present any symptoms of the condition, but for those who do, symptoms to look out for include:

• A swollen abdomen
• Weight loss and decreased appetite
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Jaundice
• Fever
• Itching skin.

The condition is usually diagnosed after a blood test shows an increase in alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), or ultrasounds show a tumour is present in the liver. With further tests, doctors are able to determine the extent of the disease and the type of treatment individuals should receive.

Successful treatment for liver cancer is more likely when the cancer is picked up early. Treatments usually consist of chemotherapy in order to shrink the tumour, but surgery can also be used to remove any of the remaining tumour.

Despite the success of the treatment on cancer tumours, side effects can be nasty, including nausea, vomiting, hair loss and tiredness. However, according to Cancer Research UK’s statistics a quarter of all people in England diagnosed with the disease aged 15-39 will survive for five years or more, especially after treatment.

In a heartwarming Instagram post Bublé gave an update on Noah’s after beating liver cancer. Celebrating his eighth birthday back in August, the post read: “Today my hero turns 8!

“I’ve never met anyone as brave… I’ve never known anyone as kind or as good-hearted… And I’ll never truly be able to express how proud I am, or how deep and profound Mommy’s and my love is for you. You’ve blessed our lives in every way. We hope God blesses you on your special day. Happy Birthday, Noah B.”

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