A YOUNGSTER whose story inspired an army of Barnsley residents to raise more than £250,000 to fund innovative cancer treatment will battle the cruel disease again - after medics found out it had returned just days before Christmas.
Oliver Stephenson, who was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma in early 2020, had a 3cm tumour on his kidney before doctors discovered the cancer had spread to his bone marrow, skull and eye sockets.
However the bivalent vaccine - which is administered in New York - has been proven to give kids a much higher survival rate and decrease the chances of cancer returning in following years.
It had been a success but the family were dealt another blow when Oliver - who is now nine and a keen footballer - complained about a pain in his ribs last month.
He had been receiving routine check-ups every four months but was then assessed by specialists.
His mum Laura, of Stairfoot, said: “The neuroblastoma has returned and it chose the week before Christmas and Oliver’s birthday to rear its ugly head.
“We are shocked to the core - the news has absolutely floored us all.
“Oliver’s nine now so whereas before he just got on with it and despite everything managed to take it in his stride, this time he’s a bit more upset as he’s well aware of what’s happened.
“The reason we found it is because Oliver was complaining of pain in his ribs.
“As a goalkeeper he throws himself around on a daily basis and we suspected he had taken a hard fall.
“Our GP, who was incredible yet again, sent him for an X-ray which then set this wrecking ball rolling.
“Two tumours have been discovered and lots of tests have been administered in the past few days.
“We don’t yet have all of the results but we do know it is neuroblastoma.
“One thing we also know is that we are supported to the ends of the earth - in the last few days our friends and family have done everything to ensure we have eaten, we have a clean home, we have been able to make it to our planned Christmas events and things have remained as normal as possible.”
The illness first presented on Boxing Day in 2019 when he was pale and had darkened eyes, but given the busy time of year it was assumed it was down to tiredness due to the busy Christmas period.
During the first Covid-19 lockdown, Oliver and his father, James, spent seven weeks isolating in Leeds General Infirmary while he had chemotherapy.
A huge fundraising effort - which totalled £269,741 - saw more than 6,000 people donate before Oliver underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and have a bone marrow transplant.
Laura - who is also a mum to Oliver’s brother Alfie and his sister Heidi - won the carer of the year category at the Proud of Barnsley awards in 2021.
She added: “Things that remain the same as before are that we remain positive and hopeful - there’s no other option.
“We want to thank everyone for their kind messages as the well-wishes mean so much to us and we have read every single one.
“We can’t possibly reply to all of them but we read them and take comfort from them.
“Oliver is half-way through his first round of chemotherapy and it’s a concoction of three chemotherapy drugs that weren’t a known concoction when he was first diagnosed in 2020 - if this doesn’t prove the importance of cancer research then I don’t know what does.
“He is tolerating the treatment well so far with side effects including some fatigue and sickness.
“This chemotherapy round will finish today and then he gets two weeks’ recovery before starting again, as they do this in a 21-day cycle.
“He is making us so proud and facing each challenge with the courage and strength that Oliver is known for.”
