My son, 5, had a sore tummy after falling over in the park – it turned out it was cancer
- Reid Scanlon from Pontypridd fell in the park while with his host parent
- The fall revealed a grapefruit-sized tumor in his left kidney
- There were “no signs at all” and the mass had been growing for months
The family of a five-year-old boy was shocked to discover he had cancer after he fell in the park.
Reid Scanlon from Pontypridd played at Taff’s Well Park in Cardiff on August 17, where he was being watched by his host parent.
The little boy fell and soon after began to complain of stomach pains, his mother told Alison WalesOnline.
He was taken to the emergency room, where nurses said they were concerned he might have a problem with his spleen.
However, further tests revealed at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital at University Hospital Wales revealed that there was a Wilms tumor in Reid’s left kidney.
The little boy fell and shortly after began complaining of stomach pains, Reid’s mother Alison (right) told WalesOnline
Reid Scanlon from Pontrypridd played at Taff’s Well Park in Cardiff on August 17, being watched by his host parent
His mother was told that the tumor, also called nephroblastoma, was the size of a grapefruit.
Devastatingly, it was later discovered that Reid also had more smaller tumors in his right kidney.
Alison said that while the news came as a “complete shock,” it’s a “blessing” that he fell over while playing, which led to the tumor being found.
The fall caused a small internal hemorrhage of the nephroblastoma, which might otherwise have been discovered at a later date.
The mother of four added: ‘He seemed like a very fit and healthy young boy. He loves to play and be outside. He often wrestles with his older brothers.
‘It’s been terrible. When you hear the word cancer, you feel like it’s the end of the world and we’ve been very worried, and we’re worried.
“But the consultant has told us there is treatment available for Reid and we are hopeful it will work.”
Reid will now begin six weeks of chemotherapy in the hopes that his tumors will shrink enough to allow him to operate on his kidneys.
Alison said while the news came as a “complete shock,” it’s a “blessing” that he fell over while playing, which led to the tumor being found
Reid will now begin six weeks of chemotherapy, alternating treatment options, in the hopes that his tumors will shrink enough so that his kidneys can have surgery.
The family was also told that the condition could be genetic and that the child could have been born with it.
There were “no signs at all” and the mass had been growing for months.
The Wilms tumor is the most common renal cancer in children and is generally found in children under the age of five.
According to Cancer Research UK, around 80 children are diagnosed each year in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Wilm’s tumors usually affect only one kidney.
However, in less than 10 in 100 children (less than 10%) it can affect both kidneys, which unfortunately is the case for Reid.
A fundraising page has been set up for the youngster to fund a holiday so that he has something to look forward to.
In just five days it has already received over £5,000 in donations and it can donate here.