Everyone said I was worrying over baby’s rash but 8 months later she was gone

A mum has urged parents to trust their instincts after her baby’s swollen tummy and rash turned out to be the first signs of an aggressive childhood cancer.

Lauren Banham said she "just knew" something wasn't right with her daughter Nellie when she was just six months old, despite family and friends reassuring her there was nothing to worry about. The first-time mum, 29, had noticed Nellie had a swollen tummy and a rash.

Lauren was worried she may have contracted meningitis – but her baby was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma. “Her tummy got very firm, rashy and she just seemed uncomfortable in herself,” said Lauren, from Southend-on-Sea. “Obviously she couldn’t talk, so I just trusted my gut and made a doctor's appointment, and I’m so glad I did.

“I thought she had meningitis due to the rash. It was during the pandemic, so I couldn’t see people, and I was relying on sending pictures to my friends and family. Everyone reassured me she was fine, but mum's instincts are always right.

“I don’t know if people thought I was just a nervous first-time mum or if everyone assumed that I was overthinking and thinking the worst because I have anxiety.”

Nellie was rushed for a scan. Stay-at-home mum Lauren said her world came crashing down in July 2020, just four days after first visiting their GP, when doctors diagnosed Nellie with stage 4 neuroblastoma – a rare, aggressive cancer of specialised nerve cells that primarily affects children under the age of five.

Lauren said: “It didn’t feel real, almost. I’ve been told since that I screamed when they told us she had tumours, but I honestly don’t remember that. All I remember is having to go and pack a bag big enough for us both as we were going to Great Ormond Street Hospital. It was hell on earth.”

Nellie spent around eight months in and out of hospital undergoing gruelling treatment. Despite her age, Lauren said her daughter faced every procedure with remarkable courage. She said: “Nellie dealt with treatment like an absolute warrior. No sickness, barely any tears; she just powered through, and she carried me through. She was so, so brave, so strong and did so well.”

“I dealt with it worse than she did. I cried a lot, and I had a few breakdowns. I was worried sick and did so much research, so I knew the outcome wasn't great.”

The family's ordeal was compounded by Covid restrictions, preventing loved ones from spending precious time with Nellie. After eight months of chemotherapy, surgeons successfully removed Nellie's main tumour in January 2021.

But just weeks later, Lauren sensed something was wrong once again. Tests confirmed the cancer had returned, this time in Nellie's brain. Lauren said: “It was a shock to everyone apart from me, as I knew she had it.

“Again, [it was] mother's instinct. No one listened until we took her to Great Ormond Street Hospital and demanded her to be seen and demanded a scan. I was right, and she had relapsed in her brain.

“I felt like my world was ending again, but this time I wished I wasn't right. Life felt harsh and cruel. She had only just had her major tumour removal surgery, and they managed to remove it all.