'I thought my toddler was constipated but when I saw nurse's face I knew it was worse'

Nicole and David Quinn, who are from Glasgow, experienced each parent’s worst nightmare aft their two-year-old lad Tommy started having predominant bouts of sickness

A mates experienced each parent’s worst nightmare erstwhile their toddler was diagnosed with cancer - aft they archetypal thought helium had constipation.

Nicole and David Quinn's "whole world was turned upside down" erstwhile Tommy, two, was diagnosed with signifier 4 high-risk neuroblastoma – a uncommon signifier of puerility cancer. The couple, from Glasgow, were told their lad had a 50% accidental of endurance but present Tommy has had stem compartment harvest, a tumour resection and a stem compartment transplant, and is "still boisterous, blessed and connected the go."

When Tommy started having predominant bouts of sickness, his parents enactment it down to a nutrient allergy and switched up his diet. As his information worsened, they visited the doctors, who initially thought it was constipation – but aft a 2nd opinion, they were told it was cancer.

Nicole, 37, said: "His prognosis gives america unspeakable anxiousness daily. Our full satellite has been turned upside down. It has a precise precocious probability that it volition not wide astatine the extremity of attraction – and it whitethorn instrumentality wrong 5 years. If it does, his prognosis drastically goes down to conscionable 5 per cent. David and I felt a full substance of emotions erstwhile we were told of his diagnosis. It feels surreal – and inactive does – that it was my kid they were talking about. We felt sick, worried, frightened and were successful implicit disbelief."

Nicole, who is simply a objective caregiver specialist, said earlier immoderate symptoms successful January 2024, her lad was a precise “loving and cheeky chap”, who was ever afloat of energy. When helium started being sick doubly a week, they noticed it was aft helium had consumed thing with dairy. Despite putting him connected a lactose-free diet, the sickness continued – and rapidly got worse.

In April 2024, they visited the doc and were initially told helium was suffering from post-viral symptoms, which should wide successful the adjacent fewer weeks. But Tommy lone got worse, with him experiencing the unusual spike successful temperature, and not sleeping done the night, which led to a deficiency of involvement successful playing, lethargy and little predominant toilet use.

Nicole rushed him to Glasgow Children’s Hospital aft helium had been violently sick upon waking up, wherever they were told it was apt owed to constipation. Then, a caregiver came successful to consciousness his tummy – wherever her look dropped. The mum said: “Things rapidly spiralled from there. Bloods were taken, IV entree obtained and a advisor was connected the mode to spot us. It was 10pm, truthful we knew this was thing which couldn’t wait. The caregiver advised america the wide was improbable to beryllium constipation and fixed his age, it’s apt to beryllium thing nasty. But the C-word ne'er crossed our minds.”

On April 11, 2024, his crab diagnosis was confirmed. Following assorted scans and tests, a tumour covering his full abdomen was discovered, which circled astir his main artery and vein. It had besides dispersed to his adrenal gland, lymph nodes, thorax and spinal cord. Due to the location, surgeons were apprehensive astir operating and instead, the tot has present undergone 8 rounds of chemotherapy.

He’s besides had stem compartment harvest, a tumour resection and a stem compartment transplant. While the household hopes helium volition decorativeness the adjacent 18 months of attraction cancer-free, it’s not guaranteed. As a effect of his existent treatment, he’s mislaid his hearing, has precocious blood pressure and different lasting broadside effects that volition prevail arsenic helium gets older, specified arsenic infertility.

She said: “It’s impacted our lives dramatically. We nary longer socialise and myself and David are ships passing successful the upwind astatine times. Mentally, it’s a regular rollercoaster. You tin beryllium OK and past the next, crying. We consciousness exhausted due to the fact that we’re connected a precocious authorities of alert successful lawsuit thing happens. But contempt each of this, helium is inactive boisterous, blessed and connected the go. He’s bossed everything truthful far. The redeeming grace is helium doesn’t recognize however sick helium is.”

In lawsuit he’s not cancer-free, they’ve been exploring options abroad, specifically successful the US, wherever objective trials are being undertaken. Though £250,000 is needed to beryllium raised to spell done these, with the household raising £12,875 truthful acold connected GoFundMe. For now, though, they’re trying to marque the astir of the clip they person with Tommy and anticipation to stock his communicative to pass different parents of the signs to look retired for.

Nicole added: “Trust your instinct. I knew thing wasn’t close with him, which is wherefore we went backmost to the hospital. I didn’t deliberation for a infinitesimal it’d beryllium cancer, but I conscionable had a feeling – a mother’s instinct. If our fearfulness becomes a world and helium isn’t cancer-free, astatine slightest we’ll cognize what is disposable elsewhere and person the funds to spell done this.

“We request to stay affirmative for the involvement of Tommy. No two-year-old should spell done what helium has, but we’re truthful grateful to everyone we person met truthful acold connected what has been the worst acquisition of our lives He volition support warring if helium knows we are down him. And I’m hoping my cheeky chap volition beryllium backmost to america soon.” To donate to the fundraiser, visit this link.