Hugh Menai-Davis was only five years old when he was diagnosed with cancer, a condition that was initially dismissed.
The parents of a six-year-old boy, who tragically passed away from cancer shortly after experiencing a common symptom that many children go through, are now working to raise awareness.
Hugh Menai-Davis passed away in September 2021, just after being diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
His parents, Frances and Ceri, aged 40 and 42, respectively, have shared their reflections on their son’s diagnosis and are hoping to highlight the early symptom that Hugh had experienced in the fall of 2020.
After Hugh complained about what seemed like a swollen stomach, his parents took him to the doctor, who reassured them that it was likely just a virus that would resolve itself in a couple of days.
Thinking it was simply a stomach bug, they didn’t worry until the swelling persisted. It was then that they sought further medical attention, only to discover the terrifying truth.
“Our lives changed forever. The consultant said, we think Hugh’s got cancer,” Frances recalled in an interview with MailOnline.
As Hugh’s condition rapidly worsened, the tumor caused fluid to accumulate in his abdomen, putting pressure on his lungs and making it difficult for him to breathe on his own.
“My wife and I were in tears behind closed doors,” Frances explained.
“Fear is learned, so we didn’t want to show him any weakness. We never told him that he wouldn’t be alright. Hugh faced everything with innocence and ignorance, and he was just amazing. He never moaned or complained; he just got on with it.”
In November 2020, Hugh was discharged from the hospital after a successful course of chemotherapy. As his condition stabilized, he started chemotherapy again to try to fight the cancer. At one point, he was “literally jumping around the house,” and his parents thought they were beating the disease.
However, a few months later, Hugh was rushed in and out of the hospital before finally ringing the bell to mark the end of his treatment, which coincided with his sixth birthday.
Tragically, just three and a half months later, Hugh’s cancer returned, and his parents were told there was nothing else that could be done to save him.
“When we were told that Hugh was dying,” Frances said, “They put a box of tissues behind us and told us that that was it. I asked the question, ‘What do I do now?’”
Sadly, just a few weeks later, Hugh passed away.
In an effort to raise awareness, Frances has urged other parents to seek a doctor’s advice if something “doesn’t feel or look right.”
“No one knows your child better than you, and the majority of the time it is nothing to worry about. But from our experience, it is worth the effort,” he said.