The family of a four-year-old boy has been left heartbroken after his sore neck turned out to be a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
Little Jaxon Garvey, from Leigh, was diagnosed with multiple brain tumours on Christmas Day, after being admitted to Manchester Children's Hospital two days earlier.
The only symptom noticed by his parents, Melissa Roberts and Callam Garvey, was that he had complained of a sore neck three weeks before.
READ MORE: 'Trying for a baby led to news that saved my life - but it's heartbreaking too'
They decided to take him to A&E as a precaution when Jaxon's pain got worse. When a blood result came back clear, they believed there was nothing to worry about.
But, just hours after receiving the result, Jaxon lost his ability to walk properly, and was referred for an MRI scan. His parents received the devastating results on December 25 last year.
Doctors are still not 100 per cent certain what type of cancer has caused the tumours on his brain, but believe it's a rare and aggressive form, and have referred him for chemotherapy to start straight away.
Speaking to the M.E.N, Melissa's sister, Ashley Roberts said: "We are all just devastated. Melissa and Callam also have a nine-month-old baby boy but haven't left Jaxon's side.
"Three weeks before they went to A&E he started complaining of a sore neck. That turned into crying and then screaming so we took him to hospital on December 23.
"He was seen by the doctors there who did some blood tests which came back clear. We were hopeful that everything was okay but as we were waiting to see the paediatrician which we thought was just a precaution. But then we noticed that he had lost his ability to walk properly.
"Doctors looked at the way he was walking and wanted to do an MRI scan. They kept us in until the results came back."
The devastating results came back on Christmas Day, and confirmed that Jaxon had several tumours.
"They did a biopsy and tried to remove what they could," Ashley said. "His first 11.5 hour surgery took place and they removed 95% of three of the four tumours.
"All they can tell us at the moment is that it’s a very rare and aggressive type of cancer but they can’t tell us for sure what cancer it is. They don’t want to wait any longer for the results and we’re starting chemotherapy straight away."
Ashley has since set up a gofundme page to help support Jaxon's parents financially, and allow them to take as much time off work as they need to be with him.
"Melissa was due to go back to work after her maternity leave in January but she hasn’t been able to go back and neither has Callam," she said.
"The length of time Jaxon might be in the hospital is definitely up in the air at the moment. It’s very difficult because someone needs to look after their baby whilst they are in the hospital.
"His parents have not left since before Christmas. They have got a room at Ronald McDonald house. Finley has been able to visit them but not as much as they would like.
"Although it isn’t known what lies ahead for Jaxon and his treatment, we want to raise money to help take away any financial worries for his family at this unimaginably difficult time."
You can donate to the gofundme page here.
READ NEXT:
- Robbie Williams says daughter, 10, was 'devastated' after friend's move following diagnosis
- Manchester woman, 39, who thought she just had a bad back desperate to get home from Vietnam
- 'I noticed painful twinges in my breast... now I'm taking part in a UK-first trial at the Christie Hospital'
- 'I was given less than a year to live after devastating diagnosis - but now I've got a fresh start'
- 'My daughter kept falling asleep at school... I could never have imagined the real reason'
