3-year-old cancer survivor, now learning to live without sight

After rare cancer nearly took his life, Jake Kislingbury is now learning to live life completely blind.

Doctors diagnosed the three-year old with Burkitt's lymphoma, a rare and rapidly growing cancer that most often strikes children and young adults.

Jake's cancer is now in remission.

But doctors have told the Kislingbury family that Jake will never see again. His tumour crushed his optic nerve.

Verity Kislingbury says she's proud of her blonde-haired little boy, who bravely battled his gruelling cancer treatments while, at the same time,suddenly losing his vision.

'It is your worst nightmare'

"As a parent, it is your worst nightmare. You don't know what to expect," said Kislingbury, who lives in Canoe Cove, P.E.I.

"You worry about the cancer and then when you're not worrying about that, you wonder what life is going to be like blind. Then you come to realize no, your initial worry is the cancer.

"The cancer is what could take his life."

To watch Jake playing with his older brother, William, 8, at a local playground, it's hard to tell anything is wrong.

But Jake walks cautiouslythrough the park, sometimes holding his hand up in front of himself to help lead the way.

His big brother, always by his side, holds his hand, and guides him through the maze of slides, swings and walking bridges.

'Such an incredible personality'

Jake is more interested in talking about his upcoming birthday party than his battle with what he calls the "yucky bugs."

"I'm going to be four," Jake said matter-of-factly.

He spent nearly six months in a Halifax hospital.

While there, Kislingbury would tell her son that the doctors were giving him a special medicinethat, like superheroes, would help him fight off those"yucky bugs."

Kislingbury said she worries what the future holds for her little boy andwhat challenges he will face as a blind child. She saidshe just wants him to do well to do all the things he wants to do.

Knowing her son, she's convinced he'll be just fine.

"He has such an incredible personality," said Kislingbury.

"He just wants to get on and play and be Jake and he's not going to let anything stop that."

'There are no limitations'

The Kislingbury family haveconnected with an organization called the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority, or APSEA.

APSEA provides educational services and supports for children like Jake.

Glenda Parsons, director ofprograms for students who are blind or visually impaired with APSEA, said the sky's the limit.

"There are no limitations because of the vision," said Parsons, who has been an educator for 34 years.

"They would develop strategies and build their skill comparable to everyone else. The difference isI would use my vision, they would use other senses to build their skill."

'He gave me a lot of strength'

Kislingbury said she draws strength from her son, who she calls Jakie.

"To go through a cancer treatment, chemotherapy and be taken away from your family and your friends and everything that is familiar to you would be hard but to do it, suddenly with no eyesight is, it's pretty remarkable that he was still able to smile and giggle," she said.

"He gave me a lot of strength going through this."

Kislingbury said she and her husband, Dave, want to extend a huge thank you to everybody who has supported Jake and their family.

Knowing the Prince Edward Island community is behind Jake, she said, helps her know her boy is going to be OK.

"We have moments where it's bad, and moments where it's good but knowing at the end of the day that we still get to love him, cuddle him and kiss him and hear him laugh. That's the best medicine."

More from CBC P.E.I.