Pontypool girl hit with second tumour (From South Wales Argus)

Pontypool girl hit with second tumour

11:30am Thursday 26th November 2009

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BRAVE Pontypool youngster Jazmine Martin is due to face another battle with a rare form of cancer after Christmas, just over a year after having a tumour removed.

The seven year old had a tumour the size of a grapefruit removed from her left kidney in June last year after being diagnosed with a Wilms' tumour.

But following the operation at the University of Wales hospital, Cardiff, a new tumour was found at the base of her spine in July.

Her mother, Beth Fairburn, 28, said the location of the tumour is "unheard of" and is inoperable so doctors are having to treat it with intensive bouts of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Around only 70 people in the UK are diagnosed with a Wilms' tumour each year, mostly children under five.

Initially, Miss Fairburn, of Michael Street, thought her daughter had fallen off her bike or bumped herself as she was in pain and was having trouble walking properly.

They went to the hospital for an X-ray before a consultant ordered an MRI scan, which revealed the tangerine-sized tumour.

"I don't think I can put into words how I felt, devastated is the only way to describe it," said her mother.

This setback means Jazmine is having three-day stints of chemotherapy every 21 days to battle the tumour.

Her final session was postponed by her doctor to allow the youngster to enjoy Christmas at home.

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