WHEN Callum Stone’s parents were called to pick him up from school with a headache, they never imagined it would result in a life-altering diagnosis.
“He wasn’t coming across as normal,” his step-dad, Mark Ferris, 42, recalled about the fateful day.
“He told me quite loudly in reception at school he loved me but he wasn’t getting his words out quite right,” he added.
Mark decided to take the 15-year-old to A&E at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, on January 20, 2025, but he suffered three along the way.
Callum spent one week at the hospital where a series of tests were carried out.
This included a lumbar puncture, a and an – the latter of which showed slight inflammation on his brain.
“Although they were concerned, they thought it might be a viral infection,”; his mum Sarah Ferris, 41, said.
She said he was later discharged with anti-seizure and she felt things were “back to normal”;.
Due to Callum’s age, he was also put under the care of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (Gosh) in London.
He underwent a biopsy on the mass on February 5.
And just a few days later, on February 11, the family were informed he had a diffuse a type of which starts in the .
Doctors said it was is growing “like a cobweb”;, making it impossible to operate.
Sarah and Mark travelled to Gosh to receive the news, which they later delivered to Callum at home together.
“It was shattering,”; Sarah said.
“In a matter of hours, our world has just completely been thrown upside down but a few months ago, we were just a normal family.”;
She added: “It’s inoperable, it grows like a cobweb so they would need to take away too much of the healthy cells.
“It’s quite hard to explain something like that to a child and his brother.”;
Mark said Callum was more concerned about his family members when they delivered the news, saying he “smiled and hugged us”;.
On February 14, the family travelled to University College Hospital in London where Callum later received six weeks of daily from February 24.
He completed the course on April 4 and he will receive an on May 5 to see how the tumour has responded to the treatment.
“He’s gone from being a boy who has never been sick to taking so many different tablets and being in hospital,”; Sarah said.
“There are times away from the kids where you didn’t think you could ever cry so hard but as soon as you see them, you want to start planning things, going out and seeing friends, family.
“They make it easier to get through the days.”;
‘Keep telling lots of jokes'
Callum, who his parents described as “sporty” has been concentrating on his fitness regime and his diet to remain healthy.
“Starting off, it was a bit hard and I was a bit moody and quiet,” he said.”but I’ve been feeling better lately,” the schoolboy said.
“Eating well and exercising actually makes you feel a lot better and I’ve been walking the dog, riding my bike and going out to the gym,” he explained.
“To others in my position, I’d say go out for walks with your family and keep telling lots of jokes.”;
The family have launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to explore alternative s abroad.
Callum will start ongoing chemotherapy treatment in tablet form next month, but Sarah said “for his type of tumour, there are no other treatment options for him on the NHS really”;.
“We’re starting to look abroad with things that are quite specific to his condition,”; she added.
“There’s a clinic in Germany, there are some clinical trials for things similar to Callum’s in San Francisco, US.
“We’re just looking for other options, we’re looking everywhere.”;
Their fundraiser has gained more than £50,000 so far, and Mark said it has been “emotional”;, “lovely”; and “overwhelming”; to see the donations come in.
Sarah added: “It’s really just to let people know that we’re trying to find other options for him and this will be his best chance, but obviously that comes at a massive cost.”;
