The family of a young child diagnosed with cancer when he was a baby, are planning a big night to give back to four worthy charities. Michael McCreesh, from Downpatrick, was just 11-months-old when he was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma. His parents say they didn’t realise how ill their son was, as they saw him as “a chubby, happy, healthy looking baby”. Speaking to Belfast Live, Michael’s mum Anna said he had been vomiting so they initially had thought he was suffering from a bug. READ MORE: NI child on learning how to walk again after cancer battle READ MORE: NI woman issues warning to others after beating breast cancer twice “The next day he was straining to go to the toilet, and I thought he was constipated,” she said. “But the next morning his nappy was dry so doctors thought he was dehydrated from having a bug. We were advised to take him to A&E in case he needed fluids. It turned out he wasn’t constipated and that he had been straining to pee but his bladder wasn’t emptying. “The doctors said that this can happen for different reasons, such as aUTI. That was on Saturday July 4. He stayed in hospital so that he could have some tests and by Tuesday they told us that Michael had a very rare tumour called Rhabdomyosarcoma. It was 6.5cm x 5.5cm. “He was only 11-months-old so the tumour was taking up the whole inside of his abdomen and blocked his bladder from being able to empty.” Baby Michael was transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital and the next day he was in theatre for six hours having biopsies, bone marrow extracted and his central line fitted for chemotherapy, which he started on July 21. Anna says everything happened very quickly because of how ill her son was. He had intensive chemotherapy every three weeks for nine months in Belfast and in December 2020, the family went to London and between Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London Hospital Michael had five sessions of brachytherapy over three days. “Brachytherapy is a type of radiotherapy which delivers the radiation directly to the tumour to stop the radiation affecting any other cells in the body,” Anna added. “Michael also had 16 metal rods inserted in theatre up through his groin and attached to the tumour. A cast was made before this which was attached onto him from his abdomen to his feet so he was held down on his bed for three days and was heavily sedated so he moved as little as possible. This was very hard to watch but I just had to keep thinking of the aim and it worked as well as we hoped it would.” Michael, who is now five and started P1 this month, is now cancer free but will have to have at least one more procedure in London to try to remove scar tissue which is affecting him from urinating. He is set to go to Great Ormond Street Hospital on Sunday for tests and investigations before he can have this operation. Anna said her family has been blown away by the support of friends, their community, and even strangers. They have organised a charity fundraising evening, to give back to four charities – the Children’s Cancer Unit Charity in the Royal, Cancer Fund for Children, MS Society Resources Centre and The Road Ahead. Alongside her friend Danielle Donnelly, Anna will host the fundraising night in Murphy’s – Trinity Nightclub, Downpatrick on Saturday September 14 from 8pm to late. There will be over 40 prizes up for grabs, and all money raised will be given to the charities mentioned. “A company called Danni’s cocktails were at my daughter’s 21st birthday and I had mentioned to Danielle how much I loved organising parties,” Anna told Belfast Live. “She then approached me with the charity night idea and we eventually put ideas into action. I have been blown away by how generous local businesses and individuals have been. We have over 40 prizes and cash donations made from local businesses. It will be a night full of good craic, and all for such brilliant causes.” Please click this link to donate to the fundraiser inspired by Michael’s brave journey. For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
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