Damian Stewart: Yorkshire mum’s heartache after son diagnosed with terminal cancer after years in remission

Anna Froggatt, aged 42, has described how "unfair" life is after finding out doctors can not offer anymore treatment for her 14-year-old son battling cancer.

Damian Stewart was diagnosed with cancer in 2020 after a tumour was found on his liver, but he went into remission in August of that year after he had it removed in surgery at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Sadly, a scan in January 2022 revealed that the cancer had returned, this time to his pelvis. Anna said she was feeling hopeful as Damian underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy and found the tumour had shrunk, but it was then revealed there was another tumour at the bottom of his spine.

Further scans and X-rays in July and September then found another tumour on his hip, his thigh bone, two in his chest, and one in between his shoulder blades, and last month doctors found they were growing "very fast".

Anna said her "wonderful little boy" is estimated to have just months to live.

She said: "The doctors have told us that there's nothing that they can do - the only thing they can do now is just keep him on the painkillers he was on because he was in a lot of pain. They can't give how long he's got, but unfortunately time’s not on his side."

A JustGiving page launched by the family has already surpassed its £1,000 target. They will be using the funds to make their home on Wordsworth Avenue, in Parson Cross, Sheffield, a "comfortable and safe" place for Damian to come out of hospital to, and any remaining funds will go towards Lego sets for Damian and his sisters, aged 16, nine and three.

Damian, a student at Yewlands Academy and Sheffield Wednesday supporter, is now unable to move as a result of the devastating disease, and will need a full-time carer when he comes home.

Anna said: "I think the worst bit is we actually beat it. He went back to school, and he was doing so well. He went literally over two years and we thought ‘yes we beat this, we've done it, everything's fine’, and then unfortunately he got it back again. It's very tough.

"It's just the case of getting him home and spending every bit of time we can with him, and so he can be with his sisters as well."

The family’s living room has been turned into a bedroom for Damian filled with essential hospital equipment, but the family have exhausted all of their £2,000 savings desperately needed for the home in travel costs to and from hospital, with Anna and her partner of almost 18 years, Gareth Stewart, taking shifts to be at Damian’s side.

Anna said: "You want to protect your children from the world and when something like this happens, you can't protect your child from this, and that hurts a lot, that really is tough. He’s a very intelligent boy, he tries his best. He likes his Lego sets, he likes to draw, and he likes his arts and crafts. He’s very chatty. He can talk you to sleep sometimes, but I wouldn't have it any other way."