‘Mother’s instinct’ behind boy’s diagnosis with cancer

A mother convinced her son was unwell despite reassurances from a consultant that he was okay, trusted her instinct and brought him to hospital where, just hours later, he was diagnosed with cancer.

Eoin Cronly, 11, is on chemotherapy for lymphoblastic lymphoma and is under the care of Crumlin Children’s Hospital for the next three years after a tumour was discovered in his chest.

His mother Lucy said: “Always trust your instinct. We were told that Eoin’s heart function was greatly reduced and he had a partially collapsed lung when I brought him to Temple Street that day.”

She and husband Nigel were shocked to discover this was caused by a blood tumour that was leaning on his heart and lungs.

She explained that Eoin had fainted one Sunday morning last October and, when blood tests were inconclusive, he was referred to a paediatrician.

“We were told by the consultant that he had a virus and would be okay,” she said. “That was two weeks before the diagnosis.”

She said that, when she got a call to collect him from school, “I just knew there was something amiss”.

“I rang my husband Nigel and said I am bringing him to Temple Street Children’s Hospital, and he said we had been told by the consultant and don’t panic, but I said to Nigel, ‘No I am not leaving this’,” she said.

“He was diagnosed later that evening, though they didn’t tell us until the next day and they transferred him to Crumlin.”

Lucy does not like to think about what the outcome might have been if they had not driven him from their home in Trim, Co Meath, to hospital.

“My worst fear is that he could have collapsed and died, but thankfully everything is now going the right way,” she said. “I would encourage all mothers to do as I did and listen to your instinct.”

On St John’s Ward in Crumlin Hospital, they met parents of other children fighting cancer and Lucy discovered children’s cancer charity Aoibheann’s Pink Tie.

The charity provides practical support to the families and also brings a number of special events into the lives of the children.

It helped to get Leah Hession, six a special meeting with her idol, Niall Horan, at Croke Park in May. Sadly, she passed away earlier this month.

A Facebook page just for parents allowed Lucy and Nigel to link with other parents whose children were at different stages of treatment. “The parents offer each other advice and would say ‘don’t panic, we were there in the same situation a couple of months ago’,” said Nigel.

The Secret Millionaire, which features Aoibheann’s Pink Tie and an interview with Jimmy Norman, for whose daughter the charity is named, is on RTÉ One tomorrow at 10.10pm