'I don't want to be forgotten'

A mother is sharing the story of her 13-year-old son, Jake Swinscoe, who passed away from a rare form of cancer. She aims to raise awareness of early symptoms and honor his wish to be remembered.
Why it matters
Highlighting the symptoms of rare pediatric cancers can lead to earlier diagnosis and potentially save lives.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Sarah Jones , Wiltshire and Sue Davies , BBC Radio Wiltshire Lynsey Swinscoe Jake Swinscoe died just two weeks before his 14th birthday after being diagnosed with cancer A mother whose teenage son died from a rare form of cancer has been sharing his story to raise awareness of the symptoms and keep his memory alive.
Jake Swinscoe, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, died just two weeks before his 14th birthday in April 2024, 10 months after being diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive soft tissue cancer.
His mother Lynsey said before his diagnosis she thought Jake was suffering from hay fever and had no idea a runny nose and watery eyes "could be potential symptoms of cancer".
She said the thing Jake was scared about "wasn't dying" but not being remembered, telling his mum: "I want to be well-known and not forgotten".
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