Fundraiser for tot Charlotte, 2, after cancer diagnosis

Tumour discovered after mum felt bump on youngster’s leg

- Thomas Cooper

FRIENDS of a mum-of-two have launched an online fundraising campaign after her two-year-old daughter was handed a shock cancer diagnosis.

Little Charlotte Hield was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma.

Mum Jade Smith had taken Charlotte to the doctor after noticing something unusual on her leg. Subsequent tests soon revealed she had the rare soft tissue disease, which primarily affects children under the age of five.

Jade, of Penkhull, said: “In January, I found a little bump on Charlotte’s leg while I was getting her dressed. It wasn’t a lump, just a little bump. Nothing too noticeable. But I took her to the doctors the next day anyway to get it looked at. I didn’t think much of it but I like to be safe. We got referred to the child assessment unit at the Royal Stoke the next day.

“Charlotte had an X-ray done, which showed there wasn’t anything wrong with her bones. But it did suggest there was something suspicious in her muscle. So we had to come back two days later to have an ultrasound. That confirmed there was a lump in the muscle and that it needed further investigation - because it had a blood supply.