Mum whose son, 3, is fighting cancer shares first symptom found in nappies
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A three-year-old boy is currently undergoing gruelling chemotherapy after his cancer was mistaken for an iron deficiency.
“Heartbroken” mum Demi Bourne, from Grimsby, first took little Jayden Cookson to hospital when she discovered blood in his nappies.
Doctors told her it was caused by a water infection and the pair were sent home.
But just days later, it happened again, leading Ms Bourne to take her son back to the Diana Princess of Wales Hospital, in Grimsby.
Here, a number of blood and urine samples were taken for testing, which showed Jayden had a low iron count.
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Ms Bourne was assured there was nothing to worry about and they returned home again.
As reported by Grimsby Live, two weeks later she found blood in Jayden’s nappies once more.
Understandably concerned, she rushed him straight to A&E where staff told her the original medics on the Rainbow Ward should have carried out an ultrasound scan.
Another urine sample was taken, and this time it was bright red with blood.
Ms Bourne was told Jayden had been booked in for an ultrasound and they were sent home, however, this was not straightforward either.
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Speaking to Grimsby Live, she said: “I phoned them up a couple of days later to see what was happening and they told me that one hadn’t been booked.
“We were told to go back to the Rainforest Ward to sort it, but ended up sat there for three or four hours because we didn’t have a scheduled appointment.”
The ultrasound showed a suspected cancer on Jayden’s kidney.
This was tragically confirmed by Sheffield Children’s Hospital the next day.
Ms Bourne added: “When they told me he had cancer, I just froze.
“I was led to believe it was some sort of infection or problem with his iron levels, I really didn’t think it would turn out to be cancer.
“I just sat there crying and couldn’t believe what I was being told. I don’t understand why this wasn’t found sooner, I’m heartbroken.”
Jayden is now undergoing chemotherapy before having the kidney removed to see how much more treatment he needs.
She added: “What angers me most is that if he hadn’t kept bleeding this may never have been found.
“There could have been a point where he went to sleep and never woke up. I just feel so left down by the hospital, I feel like I wasn’t given any proper answers.”
A spokesperson for Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS said an investigation was ongoing. They said: “We are aware of the concerns raised by this patient’s mother and we are fully investigating them.”
According to the NHS, symptoms of cancer in the kidney can include:
- Blood in your urine
- A lump or swelling in your back, under your ribs, or in your neck
- Pain between your ribs and waist that does not go away
- Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- Feeling tired or having no energy
- A high temperature that does not go away
- Sweating a lot, including at night.
If you experience symptoms you should speak to your GP.
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