by When the Shaw family flew out to Spain for a week in the sun, they couldn’t wait to enjoy a much-needed break.
It’s been a difficult year since eldest son Maison was diagnosed with sarcoma in January, a rare form of cancer that can appear anywhere in the body.
The shocking news came after the 18-year-old began experiencing cramp-like pains and a swollen leg.
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After completing their tough treatment, the family, from Openshaw, decided to treat themselves to a trip to Almeria.
But a new nightmare would come when car rental apprentice Maison started experiencing pain in his back just three days into the holiday.
His mum Zara, 37, thought he might have pulled a muscle playing with his four-year-old brother Joel in the pool.
But when his stomach swelled and he lost everything in his legs, his family knew something was wrong.
Maison was later diagnosed with a collapsed lung and spinal cord compression, where pressure on the spinal cord stops the nerves from working normally.
Sadly, tests revealed a rapidly growing mass that didn’t show up on scans before the holiday. While the family is anxiously awaiting confirmation, it is believed that the cancer may be back.
“We don’t get how this happened so quickly,” NHS worker Zara said. “There was no change in her scans, they were good. It grew so fast.”
“Fit and healthy” Maison first started experiencing a leg cramp while playing a game with a friend on New Year’s Eve 2023.
His family became concerned when his leg became swollen in the following hours, prompting them to take him to hospital.
Scans and tests showed nothing to worry about and the family were told that Maison probably had a cyst that would shrink in a few days.
But as his pain continued, and there was no relief from the medication, Zara decided to call 111 and was advised to go to A&E.
By this point, blood circulation to Maison’s leg had been affected, and doctors believed he had compartment syndrome, a painful increase in pressure around the muscles. Emergency surgery was performed to remove the pressure.
After the procedure, Maison’s family were told by surgeons that they found and removed a growth but “it didn’t look sinister”.
While recovering in hospital, Maison was unexpectedly called in for a CT scan followed by an MRI. By this point, Zara says alarm bells were starting to ring.
“As a mother, I knew something was wrong,” she told the Manchester Evening News. “I asked why but nobody could tell me anything.”
Then Maison was diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare type of cancerous tumor that develops in the bone and connective tissues such as fat, muscle, blood vessels and nerves. Sadly his condition is terminal but it can be managed and controlled with treatment.
“The only word I heard was ‘oncology’ and I knew what that meant,” said Zara.
Maison began his chemotherapy treatment at the end of January before moving on to radiotherapy.
When his treatment was over, the family decided to go on holiday to Spain for some much needed downtime. Maison’s scans showed his condition was manageable and physicians declared him able to fly.
“We were all excited about the event,” Zara said. “For the first three days off, it was amazing. Maison loved to relax and go in the pool. He loved that he could have a pint now that he’s 18.”
But everything changed when Maison threw his little brother into the pool and felt a sudden pain in his back.
“We thought he pulled his back or his nerves were playing up,” Zara said. “He ended up staying in the room. The next day, he was in so much pain that we went to the hospital.”
A CT scan was performed and Maison was sent back to the hotel with paracetamol. The next day, he was unable to walk, and medical doctors visited the hotel and gave him steroids.
Zara decided to call an ambulance when his stomach started to go up and they returned to the hospital. Then, an MRI scan showed lung compression and a collapsed spine. By this point, Maison couldn’t move his legs.
Although the operation to remove the pressure from his back was successful, Maison is still partially paralyzed and unable to walk. It is not yet known if this will be permanent.
Maison was also told he would not be able to fly for some time, with the family now making the decision to spend four days driving back to the UK.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Maison said of his diagnosis and journey: “I was shocked at the start.
“I continue with it. What happened in Spain is the scariest experience I’ve had to go through.
“I just want to go home so I can work on myself and hopefully regain my mobility and get back to being independent. I used to box and this is one fight I’m ready for.”
A fundraiser has now been set up to help the family get back to the UK while funding any home adaptations they may need for Maison.
“I don’t think this will sink in until we’re home and safe,” Zara said. “I can let it go because I want to be strong for Maison.
“This is going to be a long recovery. The GoFundMe is being used to get us back but also for any changes he may need.”
To donate, follow the link by clicking here.
