A two-year-old Penrith boy is believed to be the youngest person in the world and one of only three people to be diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
Winston Horler — the son of Casey and Misty who live on the outskirts of the town — this week underwent further treatment at the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle as he bravely fights the disease he was diagnosed with just seven weeks ago.
His father has spoken out to raise awareness of the condition. He is also embarking on a fundraising campaign as a way of thanking medics who are caring for his son.
Casey said the family — including Winston’s four-year-old sister Cilla — had been on holiday in the Scottish Highlands when they first noticed Winston was asking to be picked up more often and seemed to have a sore leg.
Assuming it was growing pains, they continued with their getaway and on returning home a couple of days later Winston appeared tired but otherwise well.
However, the following morning Misty noticed her son was walking with his legs bowed and seemed to be in pain.
A doctor’s appointment was booked four days later but that night the situation escalated when they noticed one of Winston’s eyes had become fixed.
They rushed him to accident and emergency at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary but left five hours later, at 3am, having not been able to see a doctor.
That morning they went to Penrith Hospital to seek help and were immediately given an emergency appointment for Carlisle where they then stayed for three days as numerous tests were carried out.
“He started to become paralysed from the waist down and couldn’t sit and was very confused. This was over five days going from a child running around,” Casey said.
Casey said initial scans at Carlisle showed no tumours but the level of certain proteins in Winston’s blood was significantly raised.
Winston was transferred to Newcastle for more tests and it was there that the family were given the news that an MRI scan showed multiple tumours on his brain and on the base of his spine with a rare form of non germinoma germ cell cancer.
“It’s very rare, only three to four people each year in the UK are diagnosed with it. What’s also shocking is that the cancer normally starts in the brain and travels down the spine but Winston’s has started in the spine.
“As far as our oncologist knows Winston is the third person in the world and the youngest to start in the spine.”
Winston has already undergone two intensive courses of chemotherapy.
He is line to have stem cell rescue and what started as a poor prognosis is improving, with Winston’s blood markers down, which the family described as “amazing”.
To thank medics for the treatment and care Winston is receiving, Casey has launched a Just Giving page where he is seeking sponsorship towards his £1,000 target to complete the Great North Run in September.
Speaking from Newcastle’s Great North Children’s Hospital, he said: “I’m doing it because of just how amazing this hospital is. It covers the North East and the north of Cumbria, so all of Eden district.
“Without it I don’t know where Winston would be with his treatment. It’s just a godsend to have this hospital here.
“It’s so important for young people in Cumbria to have this place to know you have so many leading experts in the world based here.
“I want to give something back for what they are doing, it’s not just their job, it’s the above and beyond they go to to make sure the children here are safe and happy.”
Donations towards Casey’s effort can be made online via the Just Giving page here
