A Scots six-month-old baby won’t be home for Christmas after medics heartbreakingly discovered a progression in his cancer.
Jay and Ellie McCormack were preparing to take their little boy Conan back home, to Wishaw, to spend Christmas with their family, reports Glasgow Live. However, as they were packing his bags last week, his consultant at Glasgow Children’s Hospital delivered the devastating news.
Conan’s plan will “drastically” change, meaning he won’t be able to return home for at least 18 months, after being diagnosed with “high risk” stage four neuroblastoma.
Jay and Ellie were left heartbroken after the tot was hospitalised when a lump on his stomach turned out to be a neuroblastoma – a tumour that affects nerve cells in babies and young children – on his adrenal glands. The cancer has since spread to his kidneys, chest, close to his spinal cord and bone marrow.
Jay said: “As we were packing all his stuff at the hospital, getting ready to go home, our consultant, Dr Diana came in and asked us to sit down with a look of concern on her face. She told us that some of the tests have come back and they show that Conan’s cancer is a high risk one and that his treatment would need to change quite drastically.
“She told us it’s a major step up from what his original treatment plan was and that we could only take him out of the hospital for a few days. She was honest and said to prepare ourselves and be tight as a family because this is going to be very brutal on his wee body. It’s going to feel like the walls are closing in.”
On Thursday, December 19, brave Conan started ‘high intensity’ chemotherapy but is “still smiling” throughout his health battle. Determined to get his little boy the help he needs, Jay added: “The family is quite upset. For me, it’s all about giving him what he needs so he can come out the other end.
“I’ve run head on with it and am going to make sure he gets everything he needs. It’s mad, as a father, knowing you’ve done everything and you need to leave it up to the professionals. It’s out of my hands now.
“It’s going to be a hard road but I named him Conan for the reason he is going to be a fighter and warrior. We’ll be in the hospital for Christmas day with him as he needs to be closely monitored. We are hopeful with it all and need to be. He is taking a lot in his stride and is still smiling.”
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