Here one of our Gold mums, Anna, is sharing her family’s experience of childhood cancer to help raise awareness of the signs and symptoms. Oliver was just 9 when he was diagnosed with cancer, and he died in February 2025 aged 11.
Oliver’s symptoms started in December 2022, when he showed flu-like symptoms that he couldn’t shake off and was so poorly he couldn’t open his stocking presents or return to school after the Christmas break.
Anna explains,
“I couldn’t put my finger on it but Oliver just wasn’t right. Then he was sick one night at the end of January 2023, which wasn’t like him at all. He woke up in the night slurring his words and we assumed he was just sleep talking and sent him back to bed.
“The next morning around 8am he had a major seizure. We called 999 and the ambulance crew tried to give him diazepam which stopped his breathing for a while, but they managed to bring him back. We were blue-lighted to A&E at Basildon Hospital and we were seen immediately.
“As well as cannulas and tubes to help him breathe and try to stop the seizure, the staff gave him a CT scan almost straight away and we were told he had a lesion on his brain.
“They couldn’t tell us what it was but suspected it was a bleed on his brain which might require urgent surgery that couldn’t be done at Basildon, so we were sent to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London.”
GOSH placed Oliver in a coma while they did further investigations for a couple of days.
A biopsy confirmed he had type 4 glioma, a very fast-growing, aggressive brain tumour.
Anna continues,
“We were given a prognosis of 6-12 months. My husband Paul and I were crushed. It’s literally the worst thing anyone can tell you. Our lives were just smashed to pieces.
“We decided not to tell Oliver, unless he directly asked. I told him he had cancer and had to explain to him that it was like a group of cells that wouldn’t stop growing. He was such a clever boy and understood it was very serious.”
Oliver had six weeks of radio- and chemotherapy. He responded well and the tumour didn’t then grow again until May 2024, when scans showed slight growth. In July 2024 it was more pronounced so doctors took him off his chemo. The family given the option of another type or to try trials at the Royal Marsden, which they did.
“Oliver was incredibly proud to be a part of those trials as he was the only one on them. Thanks to him there have been some good results aiding future trials in a new drug.”
Oliver’s condition quickly deteriorated in October 2024 when he lost his mobility. By Christmas he was struggling to speak and was paralysed down one side of his body. His family decided to move him into hospice care as they couldn’t safely care for him at home, and he died on 21st February 2025.
Oliver’s family has been supported throughout by Gold Geese.
Anna explains,
“I was so lost and alone and just desperate for any kind of help. I instantly made a friend in Katie [our CEO and founder]. She would offer us trips and toys and counselling, but I always was worried about accepting as I never liked to take help. I asked for a bench on Canvey seafront for him as I was finally coming to terms with the fact he wasn’t going to survive this.
“We came to Gold Geese’s children’s Christmas party in 2023 and the boys loved it, especially my youngest, George.
“Gold Geese sent us to Centre Parcs for Oliver’s 11th and final birthday, with my mum, sister and nieces, which was such a treasured memory. We stayed in the tree house and George still says it was his favourite holiday.
“They also took George bowling with other siblings, and they had the most fantastic time, just being kids without worrying about their poorly brother or sister.
“Katie even sent Oliver balloons and congratulations when he passed his 11+ despite having missed a year of school.
“When Oliver passed the charity gifted us another trip to Centre Parcs so that we could regroup as a family of three. After being bombarded with visitors it just gave us space. Paul and I have also been to a spa with other bereaved parents, which we both found hugely helpful. Katie is always there when I need to talk.”
Thank you so much to Anna and family for sharing something so personal to help others.
Signs and symptoms – trust your gut
Children’s cancer symptoms can be similar to other illnesses’ symptoms and include unexplained vomiting, changes in the appearance of the eye or unusual eye reflections in photos, tummy pain or swelling that doesn’t go away, frequent or unexplained bruising, or a rash of small red or purple spots that can’t be explained.
Trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to ask for further tests if you think there is something really wrong with your child.
