Dartford mum Kelly Nightingale thanks chYps hospice for helping her son Taylor King battle Burkitts Lymphoma cancer
7:40am Friday 5th October 2012 in News By Alan Woods
Left to right: Kelly Nightingale with her son Taylor King, her daughter Ashlee King (aged 6) and her partner Dave King - all joined by chYps nurse Sally Pinnock
A DARTFORD mum whose 11-year-old son battled cancer has praised the work of Northfleet hospice chYps.
Kelly Nightingale, of Upper Heath Lane, has taken Hospice Care Week as an opportunity to thank the charity for the support given to her son Taylor King.
The youngster was diagnosed with Burkitts Lymphoma – a cancer of the lymphatic system – in December last year.
After becoming unable to breathe as tumours pressed down on his lungs, he spent 55-days on a ventilator before beginning chemotherapy.
Miss Nightingale, aged 41, said: “He lost three-stone in weight and had no muscle strength meaning he couldn’t even walk.
“He had a feeding tube in his nose and was on so much medication.
“When he came home I questioned how I could look after him – what if I did something wrong?”
Taylor was cared for at home by a team of chYps nurses and has now finished his treatment.
Celebrations will be held worldwide in more than 70 countries for Hospice Care Week, which runs from Monday until Sunday.
