A young mum from Cheshire has revealed how her three-year-old son began displaying three key signs of the condition before later going on to be diagnosed with the rare form of cancer
A young boy received a devastating cancer diagnosis after his mum spotted three symptoms showing that something might not be right.
Cole Butchart had been a typical, energetic toddler, until his mum Aimee began to notice a number of physical changes in the youngster when he was three years old.
Over the course of just a few months, Aimee saw her son’s condition gradually worsen with the first signs that something might be wrong starting when he began to struggle walking. She recalled: “The first symptom was his legs. He started getting a little bit of a limp and then started complaining of leg pain.” But, as is common with children of that age, it was simply put down to “growing pains”.
However, as time passed, his health showed no signs of improvement with the mum from Cheshire now starting to notice that he was suffering from a persistent cough. She continued: “And then he had a persistent cough that wouldn’t go away and he doesn’t cough usually, so that was another symptom which I was concerned about.”
While it still remained unclear as to what was actually causing the youngster’s ill-health, he was given an inhaler to help try and ease his continuous bouts of coughing, which seemed to ease the issue.
However, it was after the previously playful, three-year-old started to act out of character that Aimee began to grow increasingly concerned. She recalled how he began to lose energy: “And then when he started falling asleep in the day, I was like, this is not like him at all. He was usually the type of child that bounces off the walls.”
She added: “So yeah, it wasn’t like him at all to fall asleep in the day. He would (normally) be fighting, if I said, let’s go and have a little power nap, he would be like ‘absolutely not’, he wouldn’t want one.”
After it was eventually discovered that Cole was suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), Aimee reflected on how much the four-year-old’s life has changed in recent months. He now requires a central line (also known as a Central Venous Catheter) and an NG tube (Nasogastric), which helps provide fluids, medications, or liquid food directly into the digestive system.
She explained: “He has a central line and an NG tube, because he can’t take his medication, through his mouth, because it makes him vomit, so he has the NG for that. We’ve got to help him with bathing and going to the toilet, (it’s) literally like starting again with him.”
Despite so much upheaval in recent months, Aimee applauded her son for taking it in his stride, saying: “He’s had a very big lifestyle change, but he’s adapted so well to it, to be fair.”
After a very challenging few months for the young family, thanks to a collaboration between Disney and Make-A-Wish, Cole and his family were recently given the opportunity to spend three days away at Hoar Cross Hall, Staffordshire where Cole had the chance to meet all of his favourite Disney characters.
With Aimee sharing their appreciation at the chance to spend some much needed respite, she said: “This was one of his first kind of little holidays that he’s going to remember, I think. He was really excited about it, and he’s not stopped smiling. He was actually really really upset to come home.”
As well as having the chance to meet a whole host of Disney characters during the event, families were also given the opportunity to spend some time with the Strictly Come Dancing star Tasha Ghouri.
The Love Island star, who was born deaf, has partnered with the charity and said the day “was such a beautiful, magical day, that I look back on and feel grateful to be part of”.