Freddie Kreyling, seven, was diagnosed after having a ‘peculiar’ wobbly tooth
The parents of a seven-year-old boy whose loose tooth turned out to be jaw cancer have urged other mums and dads to “listen to your child” and maintain a “remain positive” outlook for their sake. James Kreyling, 40, alongside his wife Charlotte, 47, initially took their son Freddie to the dentist in May due to complaints about a “wobbly tooth” and some swelling.
Following a series of tests and a course of antibiotics, which saw Freddie’s jaw swell “swelled like a tennis ball”, he was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma – an aggressive but treatable form of blood cancer. Freddie, who is passionate about rugby, tennis, and Wing Chun, has been making good progress with chemotherapy treatments, and his parents are hopeful he’ll be back to full health by the autumn.
James has lauded the “amazing” support from his East of England Ambulance Service colleagues, who are planning a charity skydive to benefit Great Ormond Street Hospital in recognition of Freddie’s bravery.
“You hear about the hospital, but until you or one of your family has actually been treated there, you don’t realise how special it is,” James said. “It’s like a big community; everyone’s just so supportive. I can’t thank them enough.”
Charlotte added: “Listen to your gut and advocate fiercely for your child, even when it’s uncomfortable. Once things start moving, hold on to hope – children are stronger than you think, and you are too.”
When young Freddie, from Hadleigh, Essex, started fussing over a wobbly tooth in early May, his parents thought it was “a little bit peculiar” especially since it was an adult tooth at the back of his mouth. The following day, they spotted swelling inside his mouth and wasted no time in getting him to the dentist, who after an X-ray, prescribed antibiotics.
However, when Freddie’s condition failed to improve, James took him back to the dentist, who described his mouth as “very abnormal”. They were then directed to Broomfield Hospital for stronger antibiotics and eventually, a biopsy was conducted.
“They removed his adult tooth because there was a risk of him swallowing it and suffocating,” James explained. Post-biopsy, Freddie was sent to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where he received a diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma.
Lymphoma Action notes that Burkitt lymphoma is a rare yet aggressive type of blood cancer, affecting about 250 individuals annually in the UK. Fortunately, most children treated for Burkitt lymphoma are expected to recover fully. It typically presents with lumps on the body due to swollen lymph nodes.
James vividly remembered the weeks leading up to the diagnosis: “Over the month or so between seeing the first dentist and actually being diagnosed, the right side of his face swelled like a tennis ball,” he said. “It was like a hamster’s cheek. Nothing helped bring that swelling down, which we now know was the tumour.”
James revealed that Freddie hadn’t experienced significant pain from the lump on his jaw. “It was a bit uncomfortable if you pressed, and he was having to eat on the other side of his mouth because he couldn’t chew,” he explained.
The day following his diagnosis, Freddie began the first of four chemotherapy cycles, with a consultant providing reassurance to James that they had detected the cancer “early-ish”. “In my mind, I took that as a positive,” James said.
Now at the midpoint of his treatment programme, James reported that the tumour has shrunk by approximately 60%.
He continued: “The first round was tough because he developed mouth ulcers. It’s painful and obviously it limited his eating and drinking. He’s had a feeding tube inserted, so if he’s not able to eat or he hasn’t gotten up to his suggested daily intake, then we can just top him up with that.”
Typically, Freddie is “full of beans” and takes pleasure in rugby, tennis and golf. “He loves playing rugby, so hopefully moving forward we might be able to get him back on the rugby pitch,” James said.
Prior to his diagnosis, he had also been studying the Chinese martial art Wing Chun and regularly attending Beaver Scouts meetings.
He added: “He’s missing his friends, but obviously that’s where technology comes in. He’s got his iPad so he can play with his brothers and sisters and his school friends.”
James lauded Great Ormond Street Hospital for their efforts to keep young patients like his son Freddie engaged, admitting that without the in-hospital school, radio station, and play specialists, who have been “worth (their) weight in gold”, Freddie “would’ve gone stir crazy”. He also expressed gratitude towards charities Gold Geese, Cyclists Fighting Cancer and Young Lives vs Cancer for their invaluable support.
Colleagues from the ambulance service are set to do a 10,000ft charity skydive over the summer in honour of Freddie.
James said: “They didn’t have an actual charity to donate towards, so my colleague asked, ‘Would you be happy if we did it for Freddie?’ My wife and I agreed that we wanted all the money to go to Great Ormond Street.”
The fundraising effort has impressively surpassed £5,000. James reflected on his and his wife’s long service in the ambulance sector, saying: “My wife worked for the ambulance service for 17 years, and at the end of September I’ll have done my 17th year,” and acknowledged that they could never fully repay the overwhelming love and support from friends and family.
Offering advice to other parents facing similar challenges, James emphasised the importance of staying positive for the sake of the child, as they “respond off positivity”.
He opened up about the fear that comes with the diagnosis: “You fear the worst because you hear that cancer word,” and described how distressing it is when it’s your own child. Despite the fears, he advised maintaining focus on immediate goals rather than looking too far ahead, using reward charts to help Freddie take each day at a time.
Whenever Freddie shows politeness to nurses, stays hydrated, or takes his medication on time, he racks up points that go towards treats such as a plush toy or a cinema outing.
James said: “It’s so he can have something to look forward to that keeps his spirits up. Keeping him positive is half the battle, really.”
Supporters can contribute to the charity skydive in honour of Freddie by visiting the GoFundMe page set up for the cause.