A dad from Kent is channelling the trauma of his young son’s hydrocephalus diagnosis into a heartfelt song, hoping it will help other families feel less alone.
Ryan Pace, 32, originally from Sheffield and now living in Dartford, wrote You’ll Make It Through after his son Lynden was diagnosed with hydrocephalus in 2025, at the age of two.
Lynden is now three and thriving, but Ryan says the journey through his son’s treatment was a “rollercoaster” that left a lasting emotional impact on the whole family.
“HOW DID WE GET HERE?”
Lynden had been unwell in the months leading up to his diagnosis, suffering repeated bouts of illness including fevers and constipation. But it wasn’t until a frightening episode in August 2025 that the seriousness of his condition became clear.
On a visit to hospital, Ryan noticed his son’s eyes roll back and his legs begin to spasm; signs that Lynden was having a seizure.
“He’d gone from being in hospital with constipation to suddenly being rushed for scans,” Ryan recalled. “It was all hands-on deck, they weren’t sure whether it was a tumour or a cyst on his brain.”
Lynden was airlifted to King’s College Hospital in London, where he was taken straight into surgery.
EMERGENCY TREATMENT AND A DIFFICULT ROAD
Doctors discovered a build-up of fluid on Lynden’s brain, caused by a cyst. He initially had a reservoir fitted to drain the fluid, but his condition required multiple interventions over several weeks, including an external ventricular drain (EVD) and eventually a VP Shunt.
“Seeing a tube coming out of his head, that was horrible,” Ryan said. “We couldn’t even hold him; we couldn’t cuddle him.”
When Lynden finally returned home, Ryan says his son regained his strength almost immediately.
“It just amazes me a lot… seeing everything that he had gone through and the fight and strength that he had in getting stronger day by day.”
TURNING EMOTION INTO MUSIC
The experience left a lasting emotional impact on Ryan, who later accessed talking therapy to help process what happened, alongside using music as an outlet.
“Music’s always been my therapy,” he said. “It’s the best way I can get out any emotions or feelings that I’ve got.”
Inspired by Lynden’s journey, Ryan wrote You’ll Make It Through as a way of expressing everything the family had been through; from fear and uncertainty to hope and recovery.
“There’s a lot of families out there that still don’t know how to process what they were feeling through that time, and I’d like to think that this can help them with that.
“I’d like people to listen and think, ‘That’s exactly how we felt,’” he said. “If it helps even one family feel understood, then that’s everything.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Today, he describes Lynden as a “cheeky, energetic” three-year-old who loves music just as much as his dad.
“You look at him now and you’d never believe what he’s been through,” he said. “He just kept fighting, getting stronger day by day.
“I wouldn’t change him for the world. The only bit that I wish I could change is what he went through, but he came out the other side and he’s doing better than ever now.”
You can listen to You’ll Make it Through here.
Lyrics:
How did we get here?
Within a blink, life had changed
The news that filled us with fear
So much to rearrange.
Hours getting longer and longer
No call, just blankly staring at the wall.
Clock ticking so slow, left to ponder.
Couldn’t stand just wanted to fall.
Please, please let this be a dream.
Wish there was more we could do.
Didn’t think life was this extreme.
But we know you’ll make it through.
Then that call came
Eyes began to fill with tears.
What were we going to see?
The mixture of joy and fears.
Heart and mind is racing
What news were we going to get?
Are we finally getting you back?
Or we will live forever in regret?
Please, please let the news be good
I don’t know what else we can do
Pray for sun or prepare for a flood
But we know you’ll make it through
Weeks have now gone by
And you’re finally back home
No longer do we have tears to cry
Together we have weathered the storm
You truly are an inspiration
You get stronger day by day
A fighter for this generation
No more clouds, now a bright and sunny day.
This was our story, a roller coaster to say the least
To all this involved we want to thank you.
All the pressure and stress released.
Our son, our boy. You made it through.
