A mum-of-four from Immingham “went to see different GPs seven times” and said they told her that her three-year-old boy just had a viral infection, but he was later diagnosed with a brain tumour which he has since survived.
Jett Ebbs, who is now five-years-old and uses a wheelchair, was only three when he was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma in 2020. Since then, he has had 11 operations and gone through radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
On January 20 this year Jett will ring the bell at Sheffield Children’s Hospital to mark the fact his last two MRI scans have been clear.
Jett’s mum Keiley is now working with the charity Brain Tumour Research and is taking on the 10,000 Steps a Day in February challenge to raise money to help find a cure. Brain tumours kill more children than leukaemia and any other cancer, yet historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
Keiley, 37, said: “It’s been two years of utter hell, but we are now looking forward to being a normal family, which feels amazing. I’m really looking forward to the challenge and would urge everyone to sign up and get involved.”
She added: “I’m so excited for when Jett will ring the bell. I know I’ll be crying my eyes out, but they will be tears of joy. Jett is putting on weight and he’s doing really well. He’s been an absolute little warrior and I just can’t describe the strength he has.”
Jett in hospital (left) and his radiotherapy mask (right). | Photo: Brain Tumour Research
Jett’s story
In October 2020, Jett started going cross-eyed, his balance was off, and he was often being sick.
His mum said she went to see “different GPs seven times, but they all said the same thing, that Jett, had a viral infection, and I should just take him home and give him some Calpol.”
“It was so frustrating, I needed someone to take me seriously,” she added.
Jett before his diagnosis. | Photo: Brain Tumour Research
On December 13, 2020 Jett was being sick through the night so his mum took him to the A&E department at the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby. She said: “I told them I wasn’t going to leave until Jett had been seen by a paediatrician.”
A CT scan revealed Jett had a brain tumour, so he was taken by ambulance to Sheffield Children’s Hospital. He was put on steroids to reduce the swelling on his brain.
On the morning of Jett’s operation to remove the tumour on December 16 that year, he had a massive seizure. He was immediately taken for surgery, which lasted 10 hours, and the operation was successful. They removed the whole tumour which was 4cm long.
“It was horrendous to see, and I was terrified,” said Keiley. “I kept thinking: ‘How and why is this happening?’ Jett was such a happy and healthy little boy, but all of a sudden his whole life had been turned upside down.”
In January 2021, an MRI scan revealed the disease had covered his whole brain and spine. After another operation, Jett was put into a coma and given a high dose of chemotherapy. When Jett woke from the coma he had another scan.
Jett happy at home. | Photo: Brain Tumour Research
Keiley said: “The consultant insisted I view the image. I thought it was bad news and was hysterical, but the scan showed there was no cancer at all on his brain. We couldn’t believe it; it was an amazing day.
“The chemotherapy had even reduced the number of tumours on Jett’s spine, and we were told he was well enough to begin radiotherapy on the back of his head and spine.
“Jett slowly stopped speaking until he didn’t say anything. We were told that this happens a lot, but they didn’t know exactly why. Chris and I were really concerned.”
Keiley with her children. Left to right – Jets’ brothers, Jackson, 10, Rueben 15, Jarvis, 17, mum Keiley, 37, and Jett, 5. | Photo: Brain Tumour Research
On March 30, Jett came home but he ended up back in hospital a week later because he had suffered a massive bleed on his brain, after a shunt which had been fitted to drain excess fluid became blocked. He had an operation to remove the shunt and replace it with an external ventricular drain (EVD).
In June 2021, Jett had a stem cell transplant and that is when he started talking again, which his mum said was “unreal”.
Last year Jett was undergoing physiotherapy and his last two scans have been all clear, with the most recent one being on October 22, 2022.
Jett with his dad Chris (left) and on holiday with his brother Jackson (right). | Photo: Brain Tumour Research
Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re so happy to learn how well Jett is doing after everything he’s been through.
“We’re really grateful to Keiley for taking on the 10,000 Steps a Day in February challenge as it’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Jett who are forced to fight this awful disease.”
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