A Scots baby is bravely fighting cancer in hospital. Conan McCormick had a cyst on his kidney when his mum, Ellie McCormack, was pregnant with him.
And just weeks before Christmas the six-month-old was admitted to hospital after a lump was found on his stomach – which is actually a neuroblastoma.
Ellie, and Conan’s dad, Jay, 29, were delighted to welcome the tot to the world during the summer. But their first Christmas with their son is set to be a nightmare as he battles the disease.
Glasgow Live reports that at eight weeks old, Conan had an MRI scan at Glasgow Children’s Hospital which showed he had a bleed on his adrenal gland. The small, triangular-shaped glands are located on top of each kidney.
But the family, of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, was told it was nothing to worry about. And now he has developed a neuroblastoma – a tumour that affects nerve cells in babies and young children – on his adrenal glands.
Mum Ellie, 27, tearfully told Glasgow Live: “Our whole world came crashing down when we found out our little boy has cancer. It is devastating and we feel like our wee world has fallen apart.
“We just wish we could take it away from him and it was one of us instead. He is so innocent and doesn’t deserve any of this, it’s unfair. It’s been a horrible time.”
Heartbreakingly, the cancer has now spread to Conan’s lungs, both kidneys, chest and spinal cord. Doctors think it may also have spread to his bones, with a scan to find out due to take place this week.
Since being in hospital for the last three weeks, Conan has had an operation to fit a central line into his chest, which will be used once he starts chemotherapy next week.
Ellie added: “The cancer is all over his body, it has spread so quickly. He will be in hospital for a while. At the minute, he is looking at six to nine months of chemotherapy but that could change depending on the test results.
“He doesn’t have a clue what’s going on which is good for him as well. He is still the happiest little boy ever. If it wasn’t for all this, you would never think anything is going on. He is so brave, always smiling and laughing.”
Since their little boy fell ill, self-employed groundworker Jay has been forced to take time off work so that he and Ellie can stay in hospital with him.
The pair are currently travelling back and forth from home to hospital, with at least one of them with Conan at all times. As a result, the family is facing financial difficulties.
Jay’s sister Caithlin has started a GoFundMe page to put their mind at rest while they support Conan in hospital and the fundraiser has already surpassed its £5,000 target, raising more than £8,500.
Ellie said: “We have no financial income, we are struggling going back and forth to the hospital and struggling with money for food. It’s the little things which you realise you need help with.
“His sister set up the fundraising page as a reassurance thing for us and so that Jay can spend as much time as he can with his wee boy. We are overwhelmed with the support and can’t believe how much it has raised.” You can support the GoFundMe here.
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