The story of a 4-year-old Windsor boy is highlighting some of the gaps in Ontario's healthcare system.
Zayvon Brooks was diagnosed with a non-verbal form of autism in November 2016 before more hardship came his way — a leukemia diagnosis in August 2017.
His mom, Kiomi Boykin, tells CTV Windsor her son is expected to receive chemotherapy for another three years.
"He is responding well but he will be on [chemotherapy] until he's seven," says Boykin. "It's hard watching your youngest son that already has struggles in life that can't talk or tell us what's wrong so, it's basically a guessing game."
While public health insurance is giving the boy a chance at a future, ancillary costs and long commutes for care are stretching his family's budget thin. Boykin collects money through Ontario Works and had to sell her car to make ends meet. Zayvon is on eight medications as he goes through chemotherapy and Boykin says not all them are covered, including about $30/month worth of morphine for pain management.
Boykin ended up living with her son at The Ronald McDonald House in London up until January. Her son needs 24-hour care and so the pair make monthly trips back to the city for his treatment. Zayvon's father is between Windsor and Detroit as he heads back to the US to help his own ailing father while Boykin and her 9-year-old son Kaylib and 7-year-old son Lestinee stayed with their grandmother while she stayed with Zayvon in London.
Leading up to his leukemia diagnosis, Boyking says Zayvon hadn't eaten or drank for a week — including a heart stopping 30 minutes where her son wouldn't wake up.
"I thought my baby wasn't going to make it," says Boykin. "I didn't know what was wrong and they didn't tell me at Met hospital, I didn't know until we got to London and they said I had 10 minutes because he had to have surgery right away."
Kaylib says it's been difficult to watch his brother struggle.
"It's been scary and the only part where I liked it was when we were all together," he says. "I thought [Zayvon] was going to be in the bed in the whole time of his life so, it's shocking and it's very nice to see him playing and happy."
Neighbour Roxanne Labord has become close to the family, even being named Zayvon's godmother.
She is hoping raise money for the family by setting up an online donation page.
"Lot of praying for this family. It just breaks your heart watching him go down hill like when he gets sick," says Labord.
She says so far, about $700 dollars has been raised for the family.
A community gathering is planned on Wednesday to present the family with the donations at their home on Charlie Brooks Court.
CLICK HERE for a link to the donation page.
— with files from CTV Windsor