THE devastated family of a five-year-old boy who fell ill at Christmas have been told he has cancer.

Aaron Goodwin was taken ill on Christmas Eve and his family just thought he had a stomach upset.

However, by the new year, Aaron had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in his stomach and kidney and was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London His mum, Kate Hughes, 28, of Ashingdon Road, Rochford, said: “We just thought he had a tummy bug.

“He was wiped out and became very ill over Christmas.

He was taken to Southend Hospital and had a scan, which showed he had a 16cm tumour.

“On the Friday after New Year’s Eve he was rushed to Great Ormond Street on blue lights because he was so ill.

“They are giving him as much chemotherapy as they can, then he will have another MRI scan to see if that’s done any good.

“They tried just giving him a little bit, but it didn’t work, so they’re giving him the highest dose they can.”

Despite his illness, Aaron is keeping his spirits up while his mum and his father – Kate’s expartner, who is also called Aaron Goodwin, 33, from Southend – take it in turns to keep a vigil by his bed.

Miss Hughes said: “We are trying to stay up there when we can and on other days we’re having to go up and down by train.

“Aaron only started at Holt Farm School a year ago and now he is in hospital. It’s all a bit surreal.

You never think something like this is going to happen.

“We’re trying to keep our spirits up for him. We are trying to make him as comfortable as we can. Great Ormond Street has been amazing. The work they do is wonderful.”

A fundraising page has been set up for Aaron to help his family with accommodation and to help with train and bus fares as he is expected to be in hospital for at least three months.

Anyone who would like to send cards can post them to Aaron Junior Goodwin, Elephant Ward, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH.

Donations can be made at www.gofundme.com/Aaron junior