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‘Amazing’ five-year-old diagnosed with rare childhood cancer after 10cm tumour found on pancreas
An inspirational five-year-old is showing cancer who is boss in her battle against a rare tumour diagnosis.
Phoebe Robinson, from Redcar, was just two days away from her fifth birthday when her parents Leanne Sawyer and Rikki Robinson were told their daughter had a rare form of childhood cancer. The youngster had already had a tough start after being diagnosed with metaphyseal chondromatosis at two-and-a-half, causing benign tumours to grow on the right hand side of her body.
Despite tumours being a common part of Phoebe’s life, her mam and grandma then noticed a couple of lumps in her tummy in January. That is when they thought something wasn’t quite right.
The youngster was taken straight to specialist at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) where she received the heartbreaking diagnosis.
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Leanne, 35, was told her daughter had pancreatoblastoma a very rare form of childhood cancer which originates from the early cells that line the glands in the pancreas. Since then, the youngster has undergone months of gruelling treatment and hospital stays to treat the 10cm tumour, including six rounds of chemotherapy – but she doesn’t let it get her down.
“She’s been absolutely amazing,” explained her mam. “Apart from the last couple of hiccups, the last two chemo’s she’s had, have taken it out of her a bit but kids are just so resilient aren’t they? She’s absolutely smashed it, she’s amazing, she really is.”
Treatment is proving effective, with the mass shrinking following the chemotherapy, but Phoebe isn’t out of the woods just yet. On June 22, she is set to undergo an intensive all-day surgery in which she will hopefully have the tumour removed alongside her spleen, part of her bowel and part of her pancreas.
The little sister of nine-year-old Freddie and 11-year-old Lexi seems to take her illness in her stride, with her mam praising her ‘resiliency’ throughout the ordeal. Leanne, who is a hairdresser by trade but gave up work after having Phoebe to care for her full-time, said she and Rikki are extremely proud of how she handles everything.
The Redcar East woman explained: “She’s never really been poorly, even with the condition she had originally. Her limbs are shorter on one side, one of her legs is 12cm shorter, but she doesn’t even let that effect her. She absolutely just sails through.”
While things can be challenging for the family with regular visits and overnight stays at the RVI in Newcastle, Leanne says she has the most amazing support system in her parents and close friends. Her best friend Laura has even launched a GoFundMe page for the family to support them with travel expenses and day-to-day costs while Phoebe is receiving treatment.
Leanne said: “My friends have been my rock. Laura is amazing, she’s been in the family for 20 years and she’s just one in a million really.
“My mam and dad are an amazing support and I don’t know what I would do without them, they have the other two kids while we’re at the hospital.” She also says she has become firm friends with other parents on Phoebe’s ward, bonded with them over their shared experiences.
The fundraiser, set up by Laura, has already surpassed its £1,000 target and is currently sitting at £2,250 which the family said will reduce the burden of their ongoing costs. The mum-of-three continued: “It means absolutely everything. It’s just going to take a bit of a burden off.
“Obviously with all of the travelling we’re doing and all of the expenses when we’re in hospital day-to-day, it’s just really going to help us get by.”
For now the family is looking to the future and keeping their fingers crossed that everything goes as planned for Phoebe’s big operation, however there could be life-long ramifications. The operation could result in a diabetes diagnoses, but they remain hopeful that everything will go well.
On the upcoming operation, Leanne said: “I’m dreading it but I know it needs to be done, it’s just a constant worry. It’s after her operation as well.
“Depending how much of the pancreas they’re going to take, she could have diabetes and need medicine before she eats to let her food digest – and that will be ongoing for the rest of her life. But as long as we get rid of the big C we’ll get through anything.”
Anyone wanting to donate to Phoebe’s GoFundMe page can visit here.
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