When Arthur Dyal was diagnosed with cancer, his sister was adamant he was going to survive. Their mother Michelle had already beaten three brain tumours and survived breast cancer… so Eliza, 11, was certain her brother was going to make it too.
After Arthur’s diagnosis, she reassured her mum: “I don’t know why you are worried. You’ve beaten it so many times – Arthur will too.”
Now brave Arthur, nine, is living up to her words. His tumour has been removed and he is having chemotherapy.
Michelle, 39, said: “When Arthur was diagnosed it was devastating but Eliza was sure he would make a recovery and told me not to worry as I had already beaten three brain tumours and breast cancer.
“She was sure Arthur would beat it too, and he’s doing so well. The tumour has gone and he’s having chemotherapy treatment still but there is no sign of any cancer now.”
Arthur was diagnosed with osteosarcoma – a cancerous tumour in his leg – last October.
However, it did not come as a complete surprise, as he had been tested earlier for a faulty gene passed down from his mother.
Michelle, who lives with husband Andy, 37, in Orpington, Kent, developed benign brain tumours in 2007, 2013 and 2022, after she started getting dizzy spells.
She said: “I needed to wear dark glasses even inside the house. One morning I got out of bed and couldn’t stand up as I was so dizzy. I thought I had meningitis at first.”
She went for tests and it showed that she had a benign brain tumour.
Despite treatment, she developed two further tumours and breast cancer. Tests revealed a condition called Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which means there is a greater likelihood of developing cancer. When Arthur and Eliza were tested for the gene, Eliza was clear but Arthur had it.
When he complained of pain in October, doctors carried out a scan and found he had a tumour in his knee.
Michelle said: “We were numb with shock. He had check-ups every three months but we didn’t expect him to be fighting cancer so young.”
Arthur had his leg amputated in January.
Michelle said: “Arthur has been so brave. From the moment we found out about the cancer he said he wanted it amputated.
“He wanted it gone to be able to get on with his life.
“He’s sport-mad, so he knew he had a better chance of being able to carry on playing if he had a prosthetic leg fitted.
“He’s never felt sorry for himself – he has just got on with it.”
Arthur will have regular MRI scans and his chemotherapy treatment finishes in June.
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