Brave three-year-old Jacob Horgan undergoes treatment for rare cancer

Until last month Jacob Horgan was a fit and healthy three-year-old, eagerly looking forward to sharing the festivities with his mummy, daddy, twin sister and big brother.

But the devastating diagnosis of a Wilms Tumour in November has led to lengthy stays in hospital and surgery to remove the large tumour and one of his kidneys.

Now he and his family are facing a further six months of gruelling chemotherapy at hosital in Southampton, as doctors fight the Stage 2 cancer.

Jacob's parents, Toyah and Jez, were shocked to discover their son was so poorly when they took him to hospital on November 10.

"He had been complaining of tummy ache and wasn't eating properly but we didn't think it was anything serious" said Toyah, 34.

“He had a cold and we just thought he was under the weather but then I noticed his tummy was swollen.”

Even then, Toyah and Jez thought he had a hernia but took him to Poole Hospital to be on the safe side.

"They did lots of tests and scans and we were shocked when we were told it was cancer" said Jez. "It all happened in one day and it was very hard to take in."

Since then Jacob has had several bouts of chemotherapy at both Poole and Southampton hospitals and will resume treatment for six more months on December 29.

Jacob with his mother Toyah

Jez, 40, who works in operations at JPMorgan, and Toyah said they have been overwhelmed by the support they have received.

“All the staff and doctors at both hospitals have been amazing and our friends and family have been unbelievable” said Jez.

Toyah added: "Everyone has been so supportive. The children have been given lots of presents and people have given us so much to make it a special Christmas."

They thanked staff at Giggles nursery, where Jacob and twin sister Bethany attend, and also at St Mark's primary, where five-year-old brother Joshua is in Year 1.

And they praised little Jacob for behaving so well throughout his ordeal.

"He hasn't complained about any of the treatment although he has gone through so much" said Jez. "He has had scans, a biopsy, chemotherap[y and other tests but the only thing he had a little moan abut was having a plaster pulled off."

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The family plan to spend Christmas at home in Canford Avenue, Bournemouth, before treatment resumes.

"We only found out on Tuesday that Jacob's cancer is Stage 2 and that he needs more treatment" said Jez.

"It will be a long six months but we are looking on the positive side and hopefully he will be all right at the end of it We are looking forward to spending Christmas together at home."

The Horgan family are huge fans of Christmas and, ironically, decided in the summer to create a Santa's grotto this Christmas to raise money for Cancer Research.

Although they have been unable to find the time to create the grotto, they hope members of the public will donate to the charity and have already raised nearly £1,600.