Paddock baby boy battles rare prostate cancer

Apr 22 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ANGEL-FACED Ruddi Waterworth-Jones is facing a desperate fight for life.

The eight-month-old, from Lowergate, Paddock, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer when he was just six months old.

He has rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue.

No-one knows why people get it.

Only 60 children a year are diagnosed with the disease in the UK.

Ruddi is having chemotherapy and is due to have surgery to fight the large tumour on his prostate.

Mum Ali Jones, 37, said: “People say ‘It’s not fair’ far too much – it’s such an overused complaint.

“But this really isn’t fair. He’s only eight months old, he has never done anything wrong to anyone. Why on earth has this happened to him?

“I lost two babies during pregnancy last year and Ruddi was such a wanted baby.

“Some days I think this can’t be happening.”

The tot had been perfectly healthy before he started to experience problems going to the toilet when he was seven months old.

His GP treated him for constipation, teething problems and even asthma before Ali, who works for Cedar Court Hotel, decided to take him to hospital.

She said: “One night I just said: ‘I’m taking him to the hospital.’ It was about 5.30am and I took him to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

“They thought it was a bowel blockage and transferred him to Calderdale. They thought it was something to do with his kidneys.”