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By Daniella Gray
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A U.K. mom who decided to take her son out of London for a better life had no idea of the symptoms that would lead to a devastating diagnosis.
In 2009, Lorraine Ingram and her 10-year-old son Cameron packed up their lives and moved to a quiet village outside of Bristol in the southwest of England for a fresh start.
"London was getting worse [and the] knife crime rate was getting higher," Lorraine told Newsweek. "I would spend nights worrying Cameron would be killed on the streets. I had to do something."
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Three days before starting his new school, Cameron became suddenly unwell.
Lorraine believed it may just be a bug until she saw one side of his face drooping.
"No one noticed it because he was lying down on his side a lot for three days," she said. "We took him out to the shops and he couldn't stand, let alone walk."
Concerned, Lorraine took him to the hospital where Cameron underwent a CT scan.
Then, the family received heartbreaking news. Doctors had found a glioblastoma grade 4 brain tumor.
Glioblastoma is a fast-growing grade 4 brain tumor, the most aggressive type of brain cancer, which can rapidly invade surrounding brain tissue and is difficult to treat.
Lorraine was heartbroken.
"My world stopped," she said. "It was like I was in a dream. I protected him his whole life and this was something I had no control over. Trying to keep a smile on my face in front of Cameron was one of the hardest things I had to do."
Cameron had an operation which lasted eight hours, and surgeons were able to remove almost all of the tumor.
A tiny portion was left behind because it was considered too risky to remove.
After three weeks in hospital, Cameron was discharged. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed, and Lorraine said he was doing so well.
But by the one-year mark, things took a turn.
Cameron began to get headaches and bruises on his legs.
He was sent for an MRI scan for answers, but deep down, Lorraine was certain his tumor had returned.
"I remember sitting waiting to go in and Cameron said to me, 'I hope it hasn't come back, I want to live my life,'" Lorraine said. "My heart broke. I can't even say that without crying still—and probably always."
The MRI confirmed that Cameron's tumor had grown back to its original size.
Two days later, the family was told that he had two weeks to live.
The consultant advised spending as much time with Cameron as possible.
"My body went into shock," Lorraine said. "I couldn't stand, my heart was hurting [and] I could feel pain in my chest. My whole world was about to change."
Over the following two weeks, Cameron's condition deteriorated. He was rushed to hospital, where a team of specialists was waiting for him.
Doctors treated him with steroids, morphine and other medications to help manage his symptoms, while a shunt in his head drained excess fluid from his brain.
While eating, Cameron told Lorraine that it felt as though there was a lump in his throat preventing food from going down properly.
At the time, she did not think much of it, but the cancer had in fact spread from his brain into his spine.
Cameron was transferred to Children's Hospice South West.
After they had settled in, a nurse spoke to Lorraine about chemotherapy. Because Cameron was no longer able to swallow tablets, doctors could not continue with his usual treatment.
Lorraine asked whether a liquid form of chemotherapy was available and was told that the team would try to obtain it, although it was unclear how long that might take.
Two days later, the liquid chemotherapy arrived. Administered through a syringe, it had to be placed into Cameron's mouth in the hope that he would swallow it.
However, he repeatedly refused the medication.
"I knew he was telling me enough was enough," Lorraine said. "He was done."
All that was left to do was for Lorraine to tell Cameron how proud she was of him.
At 5:36 a.m., Lorraine said he squeezed her hand after days of not moving and passed away in her arms.
She would like Cameron to be remembered for his caring, old soul, beautiful eyes and smile, and how he would always make people laugh.
"Half of me died with my son," Lorraine said. "I still haven't really come to terms with it. I still can't look at pictures or videos of him because the reality kills me. That feeling is the worst feeling in the world, and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Sirena Bergman and Emma Lee-Sang
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