A five-month-old baby is fighting cancer in seven organs as his family fear his tumour developed when he was in the womb.
Ellie McCormack and partner Jay McCormick were given the devastating news last week that their precious baby boy, Conan has cancer in both kidneys, his stomach, both adrenal glands, liver and chest and is ‘dangerously close’ to his spine.
The tiny tot, who was only born in June, is now fighting for his life as his family await the results of a crucial biopsy which will determine his chances of survival.
But parents Ellie and Jay fear the youngsters cancer was picked up in a routine scan during pregnancy earlier this year when medics spotted bleeding in his adrenal gland.
Conan’s aunt Caithlin McCormick said: “We think that he’s had the cancer then, before he was even born and it’s just kept spreading. How else could it have spread so fast?
“We are all just devastated. He’s the most precious, beautiful wee boy. It’s hard to take in.”
The family’s nightmare began last week when Ellie, 27, spotted a lump on Conan’s side and took him to her local GP in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire.
They family were sent to Wishaw General Hospital where medics confirmed the lump was a tumour.
As a precaution the tot was given an MRI and CT scans this week to determine whether the cancer was localised or had spread.
But on Wednesday doctors delivered the shattering news to Ellie and Jay, 29, that their baby boy’s cancer had spread throughout his body.
The distraught family now have an anxious few days’ wait to find out the results of a biopsy at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children, which will give them a prognosis for Conan’s future.
Jay’s sister Caithlin said: “All we can do now is pray and hope that it comes back with some positive news and Conan has a chance and can fight this.”
Following Conan’s devastating diagnosis the family held a last minute christening for him at St Ignatius Church in Wishaw.
Caithlin said: “He’s so young so Jay and Ellie hadn’t had him Christened yet but after finding out he had cancer they just wanted to make sure they got it done before he went into hospital and thankfully the church managed to make it happen.”
Caithlin has now set up a GoFundMe to help the small family manage while they deal with Conan’s illness after self-employed dad Jay was forced to take time off work.
She added: “It’s all I could think to do to help them. I just don’t want them having to think where their next car payment is coming from when they are watching their tiny baby boy go through this.
“It should be the loveliest time of their lives enjoying their baby, but instead they are going through this hell.”