'My toddler complained of headaches and it turned out to be a brain tumour - agony of Nuneaton mum
Little Zac Keyworth was a flourishing toddler, famed for his incredible speech and adorable way he mimicked his mum. Now the two-year-old cannot talk as well as walk. He had complained to his mum, Keeley Morrow, who is from Nuneaton, that his head hurt.
The teacher took him to the doctors, only to be 'fobbed off not once but twice', she claims. But the toddler's pain persisted and he had begun to go off his food.
Ms Morrow, who went to Higham Lane School, booked another doctor's appointment and they sent him for a scan. That was the day that changed the family's life, according to Kelly Ryder, who is a childhood friend of Keeley's.
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"It (the scan) came back there was a tumour in his brain," she said. "It's the news no parents want to hear.
"That was on the Friday, by the Monday (September 23), he was being operated on."
While the surgery to remove the tumour at Birmingham Children's Hospital was a success, it revealed that he has ependymoma cancer. If that was not heart-breaking enough, the little boy also developed posterior fossa syndrome - which has left the once chatty, active boy a shadow of his former self.
"It took him longer to wake up than they expected and when he did wake up, he could coordinate his limbs, he can't eat, speak, sit or walk or anything," the Nuneaton resident explained.
"Considering his age, some kids don't really talk at that age, but he was very advanced, he was brilliant, he used to mimic what his mum said, it was lovely."
Mrs Ryder said it was his developed speech that led to his diagnosis. "He (Zac) used to tell her (Keeley) his head was hurting, he went off his food, he kept complaining to her that his head hurt," the married mum explained.
"It was probably a good thing that he spoke so well." But now he cannot speak at all.
It is leading to upset and frustration for both the little boy and his family, including his mum Keeley and his dad, Jake Keyworth.
"It's awful as he is getting upset, it is really hard for him to realise what is going on," Kelly added.
Zac faces spending several more weeks at Birmingham Children's Hospital before under-going proton radiation treatment. Sadly, for the family who live in Lichfield, this is only offered in Manchester and London.
He is due to have the treatment in Manchester and this prospect is already putting a strain on his family. Both Keeley and Jake, who is from Wolverhampton, are taking it in turns being at Zac's bedside in hospital.
But they also have a little girl to care for. Add to that that Keeley has not been able to return to work as a teacher, it is also putting financial pressure on them too - without considering spending time in Manchester.
It is for this reason that Mrs Ryder has started fund-raising for the family to help ease some of the strain. "They have got a mortgage to pay additional child care for his (Zac's) sister as they are back and forth from the hospital," she said.
"There is also the extra accommodation as they are stopping at the hospital as well as the travel. It's a lot."
"I just want to try to help them out, it's been really hard for them so far," Kelly added.
Fund-raising
She has set up a fund-raising page which she hopes to raise money for the family. "When your whole family relies on a two income, it's so hard," she explained.
"There's just not a lot you can do for them and I just want to be able to help them out. Everything is still up in the air, I am not sure what their plans are for Manchester, as they don't yet know how long the proton treatment will be.
"Then he (Zac) could need more support when they get home. I just want to do something for them."
As well as the 'Support Zac’s Fight Against Cancer' page, Keeley's brother Daine is planning on taking on the Three Peaks challenge on November 30.
Anyone who would like to donate to the appeal, can do so by visiting the GoFundMe page here