A four-year-old boy who was diagnosed with a rare stage four cancer just weeks after his sister was born is continuing to smile and “fight like a warrior”.
Alex Williams, from Radcliffe, has shared her thanks after an “overwhelming” show of support following her son's diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment.
Noah Williams, who is autistic and non-verbal, was at his grandma’s house when a lump in his groin, approximately the size of an egg, was first noticed around September 2023.
Mum and dad, Alex and Mike Williams, both 32, rushed him to Fairfield General Hospital before he was later diagnosed with stage 4 Rhabdomyosarcoma.
Alex said: “We were sent straight to Manchester Children's Hospital.
"We knew something was wrong and after an ultrasound the next day, the doctors confirmed it was cancer”.
The news came as a shock to both parents as Noah showed no symptoms other than the lump.
“I was confused,” Alex said, “How can a four-year-old have stage four cancer, he is just a baby.
“He was always running around and playing with ‘Hey Duggee’; he still is now despite all this.
“He hasn’t had a smooth ride at all, he is autistic, non-verbal, battling this, and has been going through chemotherapy, but somehow he is still the happiest little boy”.
Noah was almost a month into his first year at primary school when he was diagnosed, which was weeks after his baby sister, Harriet, had been born.
As a result, the family has been juggling work, a newborn, and daily hospital visits.
Alex said: “It has been tough but we are all so incredibly proud of him.
“Noah has just been in hospital for 10 days due to an infection; he came home yesterday and was over the moon to be back in his bedroom.
“But Mike has had to go back to work, I’m on maternity leave and Noah needs to go to Manchester Children's Hospital every day for antibiotics, so it has been draining”.
Whitefield resident, Rochelle Jones, has been friends with Alex since they were around Noah’s age and saw how difficult the last few months had been for the family.
As a way of easing the financial burden and giving them a break, she set up a Just Giving Page which has raised almost £5,000, as of January 15.
She said: “My daughter is around six months younger than Noah and seeing all that she has been doing that he might have missed out on is upsetting.
“I want him to have the opportunity to make magical memories once his treatment is over, give his family a break, and ease the financial burden”.
She added that the fundraiser has also shown Mike and Alex’s families in America and Australia just how much support Noah has.
Alex thanked all her friends and family, both close by and further afield for their support.
She added: “You don’t realise how kind people can be, this has taken the pressure off us because it means we can still treat him and take him out.
“He loves the outdoors, so after his treatment, we are thinking of taking him to Center Parcs, he loves caravanning too, or even taking him to Alton Towers in a themed room.
“He adores Hey Duggee, Mr Tumble, and bright colours so I think he would love staying over in a room there”.
For more information, you can visit the JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Noah-Boah?utm_term=j3adQZxmb
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