A grieving mother has urged parents to trust their instincts after her baby’s swollen tummy turned out to be the first signs of an aggressive childhood cancer.
Lauren Banham said she “just knew” something wasn’t right with her daughter Nellie when she was just six months old, despite family and friends reassuring her there was nothing to worry about.
The first-time mum, 29, had noticed Nellie had a swollen tummy and a rash.
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Lauren was worried she may have contracted meningitis – but testing revealed something far more sinister, and the tot was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma.
“Her tummy got very firm, rashy and she just seemed uncomfortable in herself,” Lauren, from Southend-on-Sea, told Need To Know.
“Obviously she couldn’t talk, so I just trusted my gut and made a doctor’s appointment, and I’m so glad I did.
“I thought she had meningitis due to the rash.
“It was during the pandemic, so I couldn’t see people, and I was relying on sending pictures to my friends and family.
“Everyone reassured me she was fine, but mum’s instincts are always right.
“I don’t know if people thought I was just a nervous first-time mum or if everyone assumed that I was overthinking and thinking the worst because I have anxiety.”
Nellie was rushed for a scan immediately.
Stay-at-home mum Lauren said her world came crashing down in July 2020, just four days after first visiting their GP, when doctors diagnosed Nellie with stage 4 neuroblastoma – a rare, aggressive cancer of specialised nerve cells that primarily affects children under the age of five.
Lauren said: “It didn’t feel real, almost.
“I’ve been told since that I screamed when they told us she had tumours, but I honestly don’t remember that.
“All I remember is having to go and pack a bag big enough for us both as we were going to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
“It was hell on earth.”
Nellie spent around eight months in and out of hospital undergoing gruelling treatment.
Despite her age, Lauren said her daughter faced every procedure with remarkable courage.
She said: “Nellie dealt with treatment like an absolute warrior.
“No sickness, barely any tears; she just powered through, and she carried me through.”
“She was so, so brave, so strong and did so well.”
“I dealt with it worse than she did.
“I cried a lot, and I had a few breakdowns.
“I was worried sick and did so much research, so I knew the outcome wasn’t great.”
The family’s ordeal was compounded by Covid restrictions, preventing loved ones from spending precious time with Nellie.
After eight months of chemotherapy, surgeons successfully removed Nellie’s main tumour in January 2021.
But just weeks later, Lauren sensed something was wrong once again.
Tests confirmed the cancer had returned, this time in Nellie’s brain.
Lauren said: “It was a shock to everyone apart from me, as I knew she had it.
“Again, [it was] mother’s instinct.
“No one listened until we took her to Great Ormond Street Hospital and demanded her to be seen and demanded a scan.
“I was right, and she had relapsed in her brain.
“I felt like my world was ending again, but this time I wished I wasn’t right.
“Life felt harsh and cruel.
“She had only just had her major tumour removal surgery, and they managed to remove it all.
“The timings just felt horrible.”
Nellie passed away in March 2021, aged just 14 months.
Lauren, who has gone on to have two sons, says she loves to tell them about their sister.
She said: “She was the light in the room.
“Nellie made everyone smile and laugh, the sweetest, cheekiest girl to ever exist.
“She loved chocolate, beef Wotsits and a Chinese takeaway.
“I’d like Nellie to be remembered for being so incredibly brave, happy, beautiful and just a little warrior.
“Life has changed massively since she passed.
“My sons remind me of Nellie every day.
“We talk about her and how she lives in the sky and is an angel.
“Talking about Nellie helps my grief, but unfortunately nothing can take it away.
“You just have to ride with it and know the time you had together outweighs if I’d never had her.”
Lauren hopes sharing Nellie’s story will encourage parents to trust their own instincts and seek medical advice if they believe something is wrong.
She is also urging parents to be aware of possible warning signs of childhood cancer, including random lumps and bumps, persistent fevers, headaches, unexplained bruising, limping, a swollen abdomen and frequent infections.
She added: “Do your research but don’t obsess over it.
“You know your child and their symptoms, so don’t let anyone fob you off.
“Get in touch with other families going through the same thing, as that definitely helped me.
“Making friends who feel how you do made it a lot easier to cope.”
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