Deborah thought Jonah had pulled a muscle, but he had a ‘horrifying’ disease
A mum whose son was left “screaming in pain” after she took him swimming for the first time is urging parents to be warned, as it was a sign of an ‘horrific’ disease. Deborah Rowe says the signs shouldn’t be ignored, or it might be too late. The mum rushed Jonah, two, to hospital after he started complaining of tummy pain and began walking with a limp.
The 46-year-old thought he had pulled a muscle when going in the water but was left in tears when doctors revealed the truth. Now, she and her husband, Greg, also 46, have had to relocate from Cornwall to Bristol, leaving their four other kids behind, while the toddler undergoes treatment and surgery.
“I wanted to take Jonah swimming with the family, as I thought it’d be a nice activity for us all to do together,” said the senior assistant technical officer, from Camborne. “He seemed to really love it, splashing about with his little armbands on. When we left to go home, he couldn’t wait to go again.
“But later that week, he started to act strangely and began hobbling around. I thought he might have pulled a muscle when trying to swish his legs around. The actual reason, though, was horrifying. I urge all parents not to ignore any signs, as it could be a matter of life or death.”
Deborah and Greg thought the minor injury would go away on its own. But the situation only got worse, with Jonah not going to the toilet for four days and waking up every hour in “excruciating” pain. Deborah said: “I took him to the hospital, and they sent him home with Ibuprofen, putting it down to growing pains.
“And as there were other children with the same symptoms, they suggested he may have a virus. Jonah didn’t have a temperature, though, and he hadn’t eaten. I knew something much worse was going on – this wasn’t like my little boy.”
In February 2025, he had a scan of his stomach and pelvis, which revealed lesions. It turns out he has high-risk stage four neuroblastoma – cancer of the nerve tissue – and it’s unclear how much time he has left without treatment.
He’s recently had surgery, lasting seven hours, to remove part of a tumour that was wrapped around his aorta – which was a success. Now, he’s on intensive chemotherapy, but still has a long way to go.
Sadly, the cancer has spread to his skull, thighs and legs, as well as his spine. He’s also lost 90% of his hair. To help with mounting costs, a GoFundMe has been started, raising £15,163 out of £28,000 so far.
Jonah is struggling with his new normal, which has left Deborah and Greg heartbroken. She hopes to spread awareness for the signs to look out for, especially as the weather gets warmer and pools get busier. Deborah added: “It’s been absolutely devastating. It’s something I still can’t get my head around now.
“Everything feels so surreal. Sometimes, I go to sleep, and when I wake up, I forget where I am. And then reality hits. It’s impossible to live a normal life, as in the space of a few days, our whole world has been turned upside down.
“The swimming side of things is only a minor connection to the bigger picture. He had no limp before we took him swimming; so this potentially saved his life. Parents, look out for night sweats, tummy pain and limps.
“This is an extremely hard type of cancer to diagnose because it imitates a lot of other childhood viruses and illnesses. I’d do anything to go back to our crazy house, the work stress, all of it. It’s hard for Jonah when people visit and then leave again, as he doesn’t understand why.
“But he’s been so brave and manages to put on a smile every day. I hope he can live a relatively normal life after this and that the cancer doesn’t come back. Nobody thought that a little bit of tummy pain and a limp would lead to all of this.
“I’d give up everything I’ve got in a heartbeat to keep my children safe and well. And we’re going to cherish every moment with Jonah, as we don’t know what’s around the corner.”