'My son felt pain after swimming for first time - it was hidden sign of horror disease'

A heartbroken mum has issued a plea to parents after her two-year-old son was left "screaming in pain" after he went swimming for the first time.

Just days after the fun family outing, Deborah Rowe had to rush little Jonah to the hospital when he started complaining of tummy pain and began walking with a limp.

Initially Deborah, 46, thought her toddler had pulled a muscle when he was going in the water - but was left in tears when doctors revealed a devastating cancer diagnosis.

"I wanted to take Jonah swimming with the family, as I thought it'd be a nice activity for us all to do together," Deborah, a senior assistant technical officer from Camborne, said. "He seemed to really love it, splashing about with his little armbands on.

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"When we left to go home, he couldn't wait to go again. But later that week, he started to act strangely and began hobbling around. I thought he might have pulled a muscle when trying to swish his legs around. The actual reason, though, was horrifying."

At first, Deborah and Greg thought the minor injury would go away on its own. But the situation worsened, with Jonah unable to the toilet for four days and waking up every hour in "excruciating" pain.

"I took him to the hospital, and they sent him home with Ibuprofen, putting it down to growing pains," Deborah said. "And as there were other children with the same symptoms, they suggested he may have a virus.

"Jonah didn't have a temperature, though, and he hadn't eaten. I knew something much worse was going on – this wasn't like my little boy."

Then, in February 2025, Jonah had a scan of his stomach and pelvis, which revealed lesions. It was then confirmed he has high-risk stage four neuroblastoma – cancer of the nerve tissue.

Jonah recently underwent surgery lasting seven hours to remove part of a tumour that was wrapped around his aorta – which, thankfully, was a success. Now, he's on intensive chemotherapy, but still has a long way to go.

Sadly, the cancer has spread to his skull, thighs and legs, as well as his spine. He's also lost 90% of his hair. "I urge all parents not to ignore any signs, as it could be a matter of life or death," the heartbroken mum warned.

Deborah and her husband, Greg, also 46, have had to relocate from Cornwall to Bristol, leaving their four other children behind, while Jonah undergoes treatment and surgery. To help with mounting costs, a GoFundMe has been started, raising £15,163 out of £28,000 so far.

"It's been absolutely devastating," Deborah said. "It's something I still can't get my head around now. Everything feels so surreal. Sometimes, I go to sleep, and when I wake up, I forget where I am. And then reality hits.

"It's impossible to live a normal life, as in the space of a few days, our whole world has been turned upside down," she continued. "The swimming side of things is only a minor connection to the bigger picture. He had no limp before we took him swimming; so this potentially saved his life."

Deborah has urged parents to look out for worrying signs, including night sweats, tummy pain and limps.

"This is an extremely hard type of cancer to diagnose because it imitates a lot of other childhood viruses and illnesses," she said. "I'd do anything to go back to our crazy house, the work stress, all of it.

"It's hard for Jonah when people visit and then leave again, as he doesn't understand why. But he's been so brave and manages to put on a smile every day.

"I hope he can live a relatively normal life after this and that the cancer doesn't come back. Nobody thought that a little bit of tummy pain and a limp would lead to all of this.

"I'd give up everything I've got in a heartbeat to keep my children safe and well. And we're going to cherish every moment with Jonah, as we don't know what's around the corner."

Donate to help Jonah fight Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.