Boy, 9, who thought long Covid was making him poorly given awful diagnosis

A nine-year-old boy who thought he had long Covid has been given a shock cancer diagnosis.

Freddie Woollard started feeling poorly in November 2021 after contracting coronavirus. His symptoms persisted and his family thought he might have been suffering from long Covid, the Liverpool Echo reports.

But in January, they received the 'bombshell' news that he had Wilms tumour. This is a type of kidney cancer that only affects around 85 children in the UK each year.

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Freddie's dad Max, 33, said the family, from Ellesmere Port, were left in shock. He said his son has been asking 'why me?' since being diagnosed.

"You just don’t expect it. It’s the sort of thing you see on the news but until it actually happens to you, you think you’re invincible", Max said. "It's just potluck. It was an absolute bombshell.

"Freddie's at a difficult age. The one thing he keeps asking is ‘why me?’ He knows that there’s something seriously wrong with him but he can’t get his head around why it's happening to him."

After undergoing an operation in March to remove the tumour, as well as an intensive course of radiotherapy, Freddie's prognosis is good. He will have to continue to have chemotherapy for several months, and Max is incredibly proud of the way his son has dealt with the adversity he has faced.

He said: "He’s a very outgoing, popular lad who is always eager to please with all of his friends. He’s just a real friendly young kid who likes playing with anybody and everybody. Just the nicest young lad."

Freddie has been receiving his treatment at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, in West Derby, and Max has been 'blown away' by the care and support the family have