A week before Daniel’s 3rd birthday, they found a tumour

Daniel was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma – and a tumour in his stomach area, a week before his 3^rd birthday. By the time the doctors realised what it was, it was in his kidneys, his lungs and his bone marrow.

Daniel’s family were supported by Young Lives vs Cancer’s Paul’s House, which provided accommodation for the family throughout his treatment. Daniel’s Mum, Chloe, shares their experience.

The first warning signs

“We first started noticing something wasn’t right with Daniel when he wasn’t eating well and his skin started looking a bad colour. Now we know it’s because he had a tumour lying towards his liver. He was also out of breath, and the tumour had been pressing on his lungs.

“He went downhill so quick. His belly started to slowly swell and I ran him up to our local hospital every week we were concerned and visiting our GP.

“We went to A&E three times, and they would keep him overnight and carried out some scans and said he was severely constipated.”

The GP thought he had jaundice and said he needs to go to hospital. He had been going to the toilet too so I questioned if he was constipated. I asked her to ring the hospital to expect us. It was a different doctor, that doctor knew straight away and felt a lump in his armpit. Immediately they said he needed an ultrasound and bloods done and a full body CT scan.

A man in a suit with a folder came and saw us and I just knew. He said there was no easy way to say this, but Daniel has lymphoma and needs to go to Belfast Hospital tonight. I started screaming and don’t even know what happened after that.

Finding respite at Paul’s House

Daniel had treatment in Belfast, more than 100 miles from home. At the time Chloe was on maternity leave with Daniel’s baby sister Evie to care for too.

It was here Chloe met Geraldine, Young Lives vs Cancer’s Accommodation Manager for Paul’s House, the charity’s Home from Home in Belfast.

The day after we arrived in Belfast, we were told we had a room in Paul’s House. I met Geraldine and she showed me around the Home. It was the worst day – Daniel had been in theatre and I just cried the whole day.

When I walked in I wasn’t focussed and I just couldn’t believe this was our new life. Geraldine is so lovely and the cleaners – they would come in the morning and they would be so welcoming with Evie and so good to help me and talk to us.

It was bad enough having to be away from Evie too but Paul’s House meant we could stay together as a family unit.

“If we hadn’t had Paul’s House, we would have been stuck in the hospital the whole time.”

“Daniel absolutely loved Paul’s House. He was so sick, but times he could get over, even if he didn’t have energy to play, he would lay in the big bed and he loved it.

In the middle of treatment he was able to go over to Paul’s House and play in the play area for a few hours and spend time in the bedroom and watch TV and just have a little sense of normality.”

When your child becomes sick, you don’t have this magic money tree that grows to help you travel up and down for treatment.

I really don’t know what we have done without Paul’s House. How could I ever repay what they have done for us? If we didn’t have Paul’s House, what would we have done? Young Lives vs Cancer is the charity that helped us the most with providing Paul’s House. It blew my mind.

How is Daniel doing now?

“Daniel is at nursery now and he is doing great. He is trying to get his balance back.

He is crazy and the biggest pranker and pranks you for fun. He is funny and smiles and does funny and signature dancing – and just a star.

Everybody loves him and the lads all want to be with Daniel, he is great.”

About our partnership with Young Lives Vs Cancer

Since 2007, we have donated nearly £7.5 million to help Young Lives Vs Cancer provide support for children with cancer and their families.

We work with Young Lives Vs Cancer to help ease the financial burdens of cancer and to provide better care for children and young people with cancer and their families. Read more about it here.

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