“Our Baby Has a Tumour.” Michael’s Journey Through Childhood Cancer
Written by Michael’s Mum, Margarita.
It’s hard to believe, but this November we will be celebrating five years since Michael finished treatment. Five years since our world was turned upside down. Five years since we were told the words no parent ever wants to hear: “Our baby has a tumour.”
Michael is 10 now. He’s bright, kind, full of energy, and always thinking of others. He loves Lego, Sonic the Hedgehog, gymnastics, and swimming — and just recently, he won three medals at the Origin Cup. He makes friends everywhere he goes, and he never misses the chance to say something kind to someone.
But rewind to Easter weekend in 2020, and our story looked very different.
The Beginning – A Tummy Ache and a Lump
Michael was just four and a half. The weather was lovely, and we’d had lunch outside in the garden. He said his tummy was a bit sore, but he was a fussy eater, so it didn’t worry us too much. Later, his dad gave him a cuddle and noticed a lump on his left side. We called the out-of-hours’ GP who said it was probably stool build-up and gave us laxatives. I had my doubts as Michael had never had any problems going to the toilet.
The next day, his temperature spiked. A second GP was more concerned and told us to go straight to A&E. Because of COVID, only one of us could go in. My husband took him to the Ulster Hospital, where they were put in quarantine. He had to be tested for COVID, which took two days. Only then did they begin further checks — bloods, scans, and eventually, an ultrasound.
That’s when my husband called me. I’ll never forget it. “There’s something wrong,” he said. “His kidney looks weird… like a big mass.”
Then a few hours later: “Our baby has a tumour.”
I asked him, “Is it benign?” and his response was “No… it’s cancer.”
I was standing in the garden hanging up laundry. I dropped to the ground. The world just stopped.
I got Philip, our youngest, into the car and drove straight to the Ulster Hospital. My husband and I swapped, and I was able to get in to see Michael. He was a bit upset and frightened because of the PPE the doctors and nurses had to wear. I couldn’t stay long and didn’t get much chance to chat with my husband because we didn’t want to leave Michael alone – few quick hugs and kisses and that was us again separated, each looking after one of our kids.
Diagnosis: Stage 4 Wilms Tumour
Michael was transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children, and on Thursday — under general anaesthetic — he had an MRI and had a central line inserted. That’s when we met Dr. McCarthy, his Oncologist, who confirmed the diagnosis: Stage 4 Wilms tumour.
The cancer had spread to his lungs and liver, and his inferior vena cava — a major vein — was blocked by the tumour. Michael would need chemotherapy straight away, followed by surgery, and possibly radiotherapy depending on the outcome.
Treatment During a Global Pandemic
Michael responded well to chemo — the tumour shrank from the size of a melon to a plum, and his lungs and liver cleared. Because of the blocked vein, surgery couldn’t be done in Belfast. Instead, Michael and his dad travelled by air ambulance to Leeds. It was June, and commercial flights were grounded.
His surgery lasted 11 hours. My husband and I spent the entire day talking over the phone, trying to give each other strength, separated once again by COVID rules. The results were the best we could have hoped for: everything removed was 100% necrotic tissue — no live cancer. However, as a precaution, the plan was to give him ten sessions of radiotherapy.
Michael came home. We breathed again. But not for long.
A Scare After Surgery
Michael’s tummy began to swell. His lymphatic system had been damaged, and fluid was building up. A minor procedure to drain it turned serious. His condition deteriorated rapidly, and he was put into a coma.
Those days in ICU were the hardest. We weren’t thinking about cancer anymore — we were just hoping our little boy would come back to us. Thankfully, he did.
The Challenges of COVID
Going through cancer treatment is devastating. Doing it during COVID made it even harder.
We had no family here. We had to isolate, take care of Michael and our two-year-old son Philip, and only one parent was allowed in hospital at a time. We couldn’t lean on anyone — except our neighbours, Claire and Jane, who became our lifeline. They brought us meals, checked in, and kept us going.
But there were silver linings, too. Michael didn’t miss school because everyone was doing home learning. We didn’t face financial strain, thanks to furlough support. And in some ways, the world slowing down helped us focus completely on what mattered: getting Michael through this.
Five Years On – How is Michael Now?
Now, five years later, Michael is healthy, happy, and thriving. He has no day-to-day complications from chemo, surgery, or radiotherapy. He’s full of life and incredibly articulate. He’s doing great in school and sports, and his doctors will continue to monitor him closely as he transitions to long-term follow-up.
Surprisingly, Michael remembers a lot from his treatment. At the time, we thought he’d forget, but lately he’s started asking questions: why didn’t he want his photo taken when he was bald? What happened during surgery? We answer honestly, in a way he can understand — because he deserves to know, and we want him to grow up proud of what he’s overcome.
Giving Back – The Stormont Mile
Since his recovery, we’ve taken part in the Stormont Mile every year and held coffee mornings to raise money for CCUC. The first time, I thought, “How hard can a mile be?” Let’s just say I downloaded the Couch to 5K app the next day — and now I’m a regular runner, completing 5Ks and 10Ks for charity.
These events were fantastic as we were able to meet other families like us and see other children like Michael – so resilient at such an early age. Michael even won the kids’ race one year. That moment — watching him run, full of joy and energy — was proof of how far he’s come.
A Message from Michael to other children and families
“Hello. I am Michael and I am 10 years old. When I was four and a half, I was very sick and I spent a lot of time in the hospital which wasn’t great. But the doctors worked hard to help me feel better and look at me now – five years later I am healthy and strong, smart and beautiful – and one day, you will be too!”
A huge thank-you to Margarita for sharing her family’s story and we are delighted to have received this very special message of hope from Michael himself.
If you would like to support other children or young people like Michael, and their families, not just during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, you can make a donation today or get in touch with our team about a fundraising idea. Every penny that you raise will go directly towards supporting families as well as the medical teams in the Children’s Cancer Unit.
