The Menai-Davis family experienced an inexplicable loss when their 6-year-old son, Hugh, passed away in September 2021.
The boy was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer but fought bravely for six months and in May he got to ring the bell at the hospital where he had been receiving treatment after being declared cancer free.
Sadly, the cancer returned shortly after and nothing could be done to save his young life.
Hugh’s devastated parents, Frances and Ceri, have reflected on their son’s diagnosis and wanted to warn parents of the symptoms Hugh experienced before they learned he had rhabdomyosarcoma.
The first thing Hugh complained about was a swollen stomach. His parents took him to the hospital but were told he probably had a virus and that it wasn’t anything they should worry about.
However, Hugh’s condition didn’t get any better in the days to come. On the contrary, the swelling persisted and they could feel something more serious than a stomach bug was going on.
When they returned to the hospital for tests, they learned the news no parent wants to hear.
“Our lives changed forever. The consultant said, we think Hugh’s got cancer,” Frances told MailOnline.
Sadly, his condition declined at an alarming rate. His stomach was filled with fluid that pressed his lungs and caused him troubles breathing.
“My wife and I were in tears behind closed doors,” Frances explained.
“Fear is learned, so we didn’t want to show him any weakness. We never told him that he wouldn’t be alright.
“Hugh faced everything with innocence and ignorance and he was just amazing.
“He never moaned or complained, he just got on with it.”
Following a few rounds of chemo treatments, Hugh started feeling better. The family was convinced they were beating the cancer.
In the following months, Huge was getting in and out of hospital. Finally, in May, 2021, they were told Hugh was cancer free.
But their happiness didn’t last long, just three months later, the cancer returned and their boy passed away a few weeks later.
From what seemed like an innocent stomach pain and welling, to losing their child, Hugh’s mom and dad urge other parents to seek medical help immediately after they notice something isn’t right with their child.
“No one knows your child better than you and the majority of the time it is nothing to worry about, but from our experience it is worth the effort,” Hugh’s dad said.
Following Hugh’s passing, Ceri and Frances founded the charity It’s Never You that offers support for families with children living with cancer.
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