AS Nolan Scully took his final breaths – he woke up one last time from his coma and looked into his mother's eyes.
"I love you mummy", he uttered – before falling back to sleep and slowly passing away in her arms.
At just four-years-old, Nolan, nicknamed "Poot" by his parents, had been killed by a rare form of tissue cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).
And, three years on from his death in February 2017, his heartbroken mum Ruth, from Maryland, America, has shared his "beautiful" final moments – to raise awareness for the devastating disease.
In a heartbreaking post on Facebook on World Cancer Day, she wrote: "He was mine. I was his first love. His only love. And he was the love of my life. From his very first breath, to his very last."
Ruth explained that during Nolan's final moments, she could see him "transitioning" into the next life.
And, revealing his bravery, she says the youngster desperately tried to comfort and shield her from the pain in those final few minutes.
Ruth said: "About an hour from the moment, I asked Poot if I could take a shower that last night.
"After allowing me to get up, he requested his Uncle Chris sit with him when I went into the bathroom – as I shut the door, he turned his face towards the door, put his hands under his cheeks and smiled at me.
He even thought to shield me from that moment
"When I clicked the door, he began "transitioning". He even thought to shield me from that moment.
"The miracle "I love you mommy" was said after he was far into his transitioning."
Ruth went on to describe that Nolan miraculously regained his sense of smell before he died – despite losing it during his cancer treatment.
She said: "I had filled out his will with him a few hours ago and his favourite smell he told me to write down was 'Mommy after a shower – you smell like a 'Lup-a-lip-kiss (eucalyptus)'.
"He couldn't smell for over a year due to trauma and radiation, but the minute I came back into his bed and touched his face, he smelled me and gave me that moment. Using his last breath to say he loved me.
"It feels like yesterday, but an eternity all the same.
"We will never be the same, both good and bad. It's that paradox of the most beautiful moments of your life, while you're living the worst moments of your life.
"And it's not fair. But I wouldn't trade one moment if it meant I would've never had him here with me."
What is rhabdomyosarcoma?
Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma to occur in childhood, accounting for 53 per cent of cases.
There are up to 60 new cases a year in the UK – with it more common in children under the age of ten years.
It arises in muscle or fibrous tissue and can occur in almost any part of the body.
The most common sites are around the head and neck, the bladder or the testes. Sometimes tumours may be found in a muscle or a limb, in the chest, or in the abdominal wall.
Occasionally, if the tumour is in the head or neck region, it can spread into the brain or the fluid around the spinal cord.
The causes of RMS are unknown although children with certain rare genetic disorders, such as Li Fraumeni syndrome, have a higher risk of developing RMS.
The five year survival rate for childhood RMS is 71 per cent.
Children diagnosed at the age of ten-14 years have lower survival, around 50 per cent, than children diagnosed at a younger age.
Symptoms of soft tissue sarcomas depend on the part of the body affected.
The most common sign is a swelling or lump.
- If the tumour is in the head area, it can sometimes cause a blockage and a discharge from the nose. Occasionally an eye may appear swollen and protruding.
- If the tumour is in the abdomen, the child may have discomfort in the abdomen and difficulty going to the toilet.
- If the tumour is in the bladder, the child may also have blood in the urine.
A variety of tests and investigations may be carried out to diagnose a soft tissue sarcoma. Blood and bone marrow tests will be taken. A biopsy is usually taken so the tumour cells can be examined under the microscope.
Source: Children with Cancer UK
Ruth previously revealed that in the days before Nolan's death they had spoken about seeing each other once again in heaven.
Ruth said her son told her he would "go to heaven and play until you get there".
Since his tragic death, Ruth has credited Nolan for making her a "better person" and for helping "shed light" on childhood cancer awareness and research.
She added: "He brought our community together, no matter who you were or what occupation you held.
"He loved everyone. He was kind. He was loving. He was brilliant. He was sharp tongued (like his Momma.)
"He was a champion, which ironically is what his name means.
"I love you Poot, more than all the police cars and fire trucks in the universe."
Nolan passed away a just over a year after he was diagnosed with RMS.
His parents were given the devastating news he had the disease after he went to the doctors with a stuffy nose and was finding it hard to breathe at night.
Rhabdomyosarcoma, or RMS, is an aggressive and highly malignant form of cancer that develops from skeletal muscle cells.
Soft tissue sarcomas account for seven per cent of childhood cancers, with just over 100 children diagnosed every year in the UK.
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