A mum who thought her daughter was suffering from constipation says her family’s life changed forever when doctors diagnosed the little girl with cancer.
Jazmin Spring initially dismissed her three-year-old daughter Olivia’s bloated stomach as a minor digestive issue.
But after the 20-year-old noticed that one side of the toddler’s tummy felt firmer than the other, she booked a doctor’s appointment.
Three hours later, she was given devastating news – her daughter, just three years old, has Wilms tumour, a rare kidney cancer that primarily affects children, in February this year.
Doctors had never before seen a tumour of its type so wrapped around major arteries and veins.
“I felt like my whole world stopped,” Jazmin, from Queensland, Australia, told Need To Know.
“I remember sobbing, feeling physically sick and trying so hard not to fall apart in front of Olivia because she had absolutely no idea what was happening.
“That night was the worst night of my life. I didn’t sleep, I was vomiting, crying and could barely process what anyone was saying to me.
“Everything just felt unreal.”
Jazmin, who is currently caring full-time for her daughter, first noticed the ‘bloating’ in February 2026, but “couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right”, and took her to the doctor two days later.
She said: “We were out for dinner one night when she kept saying her tummy hurt and that she needed to go to the toilet.
“At first, I didn’t think too much of it because she was still running around, playing and acting like a normal three year old.
“Over the following days though, I noticed her tummy looked more bloated than usual.
“I was feeling around Olivia’s belly because it was still swollen when I noticed that one side of her tummy felt harder than the other.
“If I had only felt one side of her stomach, I probably wouldn’t have thought anything of it.
“It was only because I put my hands on both sides of her tummy at the same time that I realised something felt very different.
“One side felt normal, but the other side felt hard.
“I honestly thought it was something minor.
“I thought maybe she was constipated, had a food intolerance or something along those lines.
“Cancer never even crossed my mind – as a parent that’s just not something you expect.
“The swelling wasn’t going down and I kept questioning whether I was overreacting or not.
“I’ve always been the type of mum who is very aware of any changes in Olivia’s health.
“My friends joke that I’m a health freak, so I was constantly questioning whether I was overthinking things or being overly cautious because I usually am.”
Sadly, her fears weren’t unfounded.
After an examination, the doctor told them to take Olivia to the emergency department and not wait over the weekend “just in case”.
Scans at the hospital found the tumour, less than 48 hours after Jazmin first noticed the hardness.
The mum said: “When she was diagnosed, it was the worst moment of my life.
“I remember the doctor telling me Olivia had a tumour and initially I didn’t connect that with cancer.
“I thought maybe it was just a growth that could be removed – then he said it was a type of cancer.
“That sentence will stay with me forever.
“Olivia was such a healthy little girl and she had never had any major health issues before this.
“Looking back, there were little signs such as tummy pain, bloating, reduced appetite and occasional diarrhoea – but nothing that made me think she had cancer.”
Olivia started chemotherapy in March and in April she underwent a gruelling nine hour surgery to remove the tumour.
Since then, she has had 11 sessions of radiation and is currently continuing to have chemotherapy – now halfway through her treatment.
Jazmin said: “The surgeons told us they had never seen a Wilms tumour so wrapped around major arteries and veins.
“We also found out that the tumour had ruptured and spread into surrounding tissues.
“At one point there were concerns she may need part of her bowel removed and potentially require a colostomy bag.
“Thankfully, her surgeons were able to remove the tumour without needing to do that.
“The recovery after surgery was difficult.
“Olivia was very sore, very tired and spent most of her time sleeping.
“She has just been incredible and she is the bravest little girl.
“Olivia has gone through blood tests, scans, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and countless hospital appointments and still manages to smile, laugh and keep everyone around her entertained.
“Even on the days she feels sick, she still manages to be happy and make people smile.”
As Olivia undergoes intensive treatment, Jazmin is urging other parents to trust their instincts if something doesn’t seem right.
She said: “The biggest thing I would say to other parents is to trust your instincts.
“Nobody knows your child better than you do.
“If something doesn’t feel right, keep asking questions and keep pushing for answers.
“I never imagined that what I thought might be constipation would end up being cancer.
“We’re also incredibly grateful for the support we have received throughout this journey.
“The kindness of family, friends and complete strangers has genuinely helped carry us through some of the hardest days of our lives and we will never be able to thank everyone enough.”
Despite her diagnosis, Olivia had been a healthy and active child before becoming ill.
Jazmin said: “Olivia is doing really well considering everything she has been through.
“She has completed surgery, radiation and multiple rounds of chemotherapy.
“We still have a long road ahead, but she continues to respond well to treatment and amaze us every single day.
“If everything goes to plan, Olivia’s final chemotherapy treatment is scheduled for November.
“We know delays can happen during treatment, so we are taking everything one day at a time and hoping we can be home and enjoying Christmas together.”
