Brave four-year-old Fife boy rings bell to celebrate beating cancer

For more than a year, little Oscar Hodgkinson battled against spinal cancer, even receiving specialist treatment in Germany. But, last Monday, his family got the news they had been desperate to hear – Oscar had won his fight.

The family celebrated at the weekend with a small BBQ, and then watched on as Oscar rang his bell and celebrated.

Mum Sarah said “there is no better feeling”, when talking about the moment she found out her son had been given the all clear, adding: “Nothing compares to it. His life is everything. We were all crying with amazement – he just asked for a new toy.”

It marked the end of a 15-month battle.

It was in early May 2019, when Oscar started to lose mobility – he could not stand, walk, sit or even crawl. He was taken to the doctors, and then to the Victoria Hospital, before being rushed to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

An MRI scan revealed the problem – a rhabdoid tumour, a rare tumour which usually affects children under three.

Sarah still remembers the time she found out – 10pm on May 20, 2019.

Things progressed quickly from there.

“We were told he had to get surgery that day and start emergency chemotherapy,” said Sarah. “It was heartbreaking. It felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. It was just two weeks before his third birthday.”

Oscar underwent nine rounds of chemotherapy, as well as radiotheraphy and proton therapy, which required the family to spend six weeks in Germany. He also received physiotheraphy, as he tried to recover his mobility.

His last round of chemotheraphy came on January 7.

“You could tell he was getting better because he was getting his mobility back,” Sarah said. “And he seemed happier.”

Oscar will still need to be checked every few months, and will be in remission for the next five years.

“He’s been amazing,” said Sarah. “Not one time did he not have a smile on his face.

“He has regained most of his mobility. He’ll get there. He’s the strongest boy I know. No four-year-old should have to go through that.”

And Sarah had special thanks for the NHS.

“Sick Kids is amazing,” she said. “We couldn’t have done it without the NHS. We couldn’t have afforded the treatment in Germany. They’re amazing.”