A five-year-old boy was diagnosed with cancer just weeks after his mother noticed him limping on the way home from school.
Jack, who was previously “happy and healthy”, now potentially has a 5% chance of surviving.
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Mom Sarah first noticed her son struggling to walk in January 2024.
He then started complaining of pain in his legs, so she took him to the doctor.
Two trips to the doctor and two emergency room visits later, Jack was rushed to Bristol Children’s Hospital, where his family was told he had stage four neuroblastoma.
It is an aggressive form of cancer that affects children, especially those under the age of five. It usually starts in the belly area and can spread quickly.
Sarah has been visiting the hospital weekly so Jack can receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions.
Soon, he will have surgery to remove the tumor and will also need a stem cell transplant, totaling 18 months of treatment.
If successful, he has a 40 to 50 percent chance of survival, but if he relapses, the odds drop to just 5 percent.
Sarah, a healthcare professional from Somerset, has been told she is at “high risk” of relapse.
“We are devastated,” she said.
The mother added: “I noticed Jack was limping when I picked him up from school.
“I took him to the doctor twice and they told me it was probably a viral infection irritating his hip and that it should get better.
“But at the end of January the pain got worse, so I took him to the emergency room two days in a row.
“The first time they told me everything was fine and I should just give him ibuprofen.
“But on the second visit he did a blood test, then we were sent to another hospital for tests and CT scans.
“Unfortunately, on February 1st, an MRI scan found a tumor above his right kidney.
“Jack then had a biopsy of the tumor and on February 15, Jack was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma.
“Our lives changed instantly.”
Our beautiful boy was a healthy, happy five year old, running around normally, without a care in the world
Sara
Sarah wants to give her son the best chance possible, so is hoping to raise £250,000 for a treatment not available in the UK.
This option, which would involve multiple trips to the US, reduces the chance of relapse and gives Jack a better chance of survival if his cancer returns.
Sarah, who has worked as a community carer with Brunelcare for more than 10 years, said: “Please help us give our child the best possible chance.
“Our beautiful boy was a healthy, happy five-year-old, running around normally, without a care in the world.
“He deserves to live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.”
Jack, whose GoFundMe Page who has so far raised more than £93,000, said: “I hope to get better soon. I miss going to school and playing with my friends.”
The most common symptoms of neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is a cancer that affects children – mainly under five years of age.
It starts in a type of nerve cell called a neuroblast, usually in the stomach, but can spread to other parts of the body.
Around 100 children are diagnosed every year in the UK.
Symptoms can be vague, but patients may experience:
- A lump or swelling in the belly
- Stomachache
- Cold
If the cancer spreads, people may also report:
- Tiredness
- A fever
- Loss of appetite
- Numbness or weakness
- Loss of movement in the lower body
- Shortness of breathe
- Difficulty swallowing
- Bruising or bleeding
Doctors group patients according to their risk of the cancer returning after treatment – low, intermediate and high.
There are also different stages depending on the size of the cancer and whether it has spread – L1, L2, M and MS.
About 70 percent of children survive five years or more after being diagnosed.
Source: Cancer research in the UK
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
