A mother has revealed how a simple Christmas Day walk exposed a critical symptom that led to her eight-year-old son's life-saving brain cancer diagnosis, after initial concerns were dismissed.
The First Symptoms and Missed Chances
In October 2023, Ania Hough's son, Jamie, began complaining of headaches and started vomiting. The 42-year-old mother-of-two from Staplehurst, Kent, initially believed he had caught a sickness bug from school. Following a call to NHS 111, she took him to the Accident and Emergency department at Maidstone Hospital.
Ania claims that during this first hospital visit, Jamie was not offered any scans or tests, with his symptoms attributed to dehydration from a stomach bug. When Jamie's headaches, which were at first sporadic, became a daily occurrence, she consulted a GP. There, she says she was told her son was likely suffering from migraines.
For the next two months, Ania managed Jamie's pain with Calpol while awaiting a hospital referral letter from a neurologist—a letter she asserts never arrived.
The Fateful Christmas Morning
On Christmas Day 2023, Jamie woke with another headache. Hoping fresh air would help, Ania suggested a morning walk. It was during this stroll that the situation turned critical.
"As we started walking back, he started to drag his leg," Ania recalled. "I told him to stop being silly and to walk properly but he told me he was." He also complained of jaw pain near his ear, a new symptom. Realising this was serious, the property development company admin worker rushed him back to A&E.
At the hospital, a CT scan was finally performed, revealing abnormal brain activity. Jamie was immediately transferred to King's College Hospital in London.
Urgent Diagnosis and Gruelling Treatment
Jamie underwent a gruelling 12-hour brain surgery on December 26th. A biopsy confirmed he had a fast-growing 6cm by 5cm cancerous brain tumour known as choroid plexus carcinoma.
He required a second 12-hour operation on January 12th, 2024, to remove the remainder of the tumour. In total, Jamie endured four surgeries, including procedures to fit a drain and then a permanent shunt to manage fluid on his brain.
His treatment continued with six rounds of chemotherapy and 30 sessions of proton beam therapy. He finished his final chemotherapy session on September 29th, 2024, and received the official all-clear in November 2024.
A Mother's Warning and a 'Christmas Miracle'
Ania is now sharing her family's ordeal to urge other parents to trust their instincts. "As a parent, if your child is suffering from headaches, push for a CT or some kind of scan," she advised.
She believes the Christmas Day walk and the subsequent swift action at A&E were crucial. Neurosurgeons later told her it was a matter of hours before the tumour's pressure would have caused irreversible damage.
"It was a bit of a Christmas miracle that they did the CT scan," Ania said. "If Jamie hadn't had gotten there when he did, they wouldn't have been able to help him."
While praising the junior doctor who ordered the scan, Ania is critical of the initial response. "I think the hospital messed up with Jamie and should have done more on our first visit," she stated, believing an earlier scan could have reduced the number of surgeries needed.
An NHS spokesperson for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said: "We are very pleased to hear Jamie is doing well following treatment... CT scans aren't always undertaken straight away because we have to balance the benefits with the risks of radiation."
The family, with Jamie now ten years old, is looking forward to a happier Christmas this year. Ania also expressed gratitude for the support from the Lennox Children's Cancer Fund throughout their journey.
