More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A devastated mum has told how doctors dismissed her son's brain tumour as an ear infection multiple times.
George Dodgson, from Twydall near Gillingham, is having urgent surgery today after collapsing at home and falling down the stairs which led to the discovery of the lump in his head.
The four-year-old was taken to hospital after the fall, but Kirsty says she's angry because doctors previously sent her and her son away numerous times.
The youngster had been complaining of head pain and vomiting and multiple visits to GPs left his mother Kirsty believing he had an ear infection and vertigo with doctors advising that the little boy was putting it on.
Speaking to KentOnline ahead of a 16-hour long operation at King's College Hospital today, she said: "We have been decorating our house and we had just finished decorating the little boy's room on the Sunday and I went upstairs to clean it and George followed me and he fell unconscious.
"He was on the floor at the bottom of the stairs for eight minutes.
"When the ambulance turned up they were doing the checks on him and he wasn't responding."
After George came round during the incident on Sunday, January 19, he was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital and a CT scan was carried out.
Kirsty, of Denton Green, Twydall, said: "When the report came back one of the doctors came down and he said: 'I'm really sorry to tell you but there's a massive shadow on his brain and he has a tumour.'."
The family, including Kirsty's husband Lee, their other children Caitlyn, 9, and Archie, seven, have been at King's College Hospital whilst George receives treatment which has so far included more scans and draining fluid from his head.
It is likely he will also need chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Doctors have told Kirsty they do not know exactly how big George's tumour is until they operate to remove it but is believed to be about 50mm in size.
'I feel like I got fobbed off. I asked for blood tests and brain scans and if they had listened, we wouldn't be here.'
Kirsty said: "The tumour is on the back of the head and they have said it's of a substantial size.
"I am so angry, I feel like I got fobbed off. I asked for blood tests and brain scans and if they had listened to me, his mother, we wouldn't be here."
Young George got a special visit from Medway Spidey - the children's entertainer who also helps families in need - in hospital earlier this week and the pair played games, coloured in together and scaring nurses with some tricks.
Kirsty's best friend Bonnie Beech set up a JustGiving page to raise money to support the family whilst Lee, a self-employed builder, takes time off work.
She said: "I am trying to raise money for them and I am doing a walk for them from Chatham to Kings. George is such a little fighter."
If you would like to donate, go to JustGiving.
