Doncaster mum's warning to other parents after son's shock cancer diagnosis

A mum has warned other parents not to take unusual behaviour in children for granted after her son’s shock cancer diagnosis. Tyler, six, has been diagnosed with a brain tumour and the community has rallied around parents Carlena Kirk and Jordan Scott.

The youngster was taken to the doctors after losing his appetite and beginning to stumble as he walked. Shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer, our sister title the Doncaster Free Press reports.

“Never in a million years did I expect the symptoms he had to be this,” Tyler’s mum Carlena said. The shock she felt at hearing her child had a brain tumour which had spread to his spine was devastating.

Carlena remembers little Tyler saying “No mummy, I’m crying because you’re not holding my hand” following his diagnoses as she called a nurse over in the hospital to his cries.

And she is now warning others not to overlook symptoms and to see a doctor if parents notice any unusual behaviour in children. “Don’t think it’s a phase if they stop eating,” she said.

She describes his symptoms as having “snowballed” after he began going off his food and went from laughing and playing with his cousins and toys at his grandparents to “bouncing off the walls like a pinball” within days. Tyler now faces a year of treatment for the tumour, with a 50% chance of success. He has already had four surgeries within the first three weeks of his diagnosis as he battles the illness.

Meanwhile, the local community has come together in support of Tyler, fundraising to spread awareness and raise money. Tyler’s best friend’s mum, Lois Hallam, is one of those who has set up a fundraiser, creating raffles on Facebook.

Local businesses and people have donated prizes and bought tickets in order to show their support for Tyler. Lois said: “The kindness that has been shown throughout the community is heart warming.”

Another friend, Kelly Merryweather, has set up a GoFundMe page. Carlena and Jordan say the donations are “a massive, massive help” and added: “Everyone’s generosity has been amazing. It is nothing short of overwhelming everything everyone has done to support.”