A four-year-old boy from Kent is enduring 78-mile round trips to Sutton for cancer treatment after a brain tumour regrew following surgery. Johnathan Greenwood, from near Dover, has already undergone two operations and started chemotherapy at the Royal Marsden in Sutton, with his family now facing the possibility of relocating to London for radiotherapy.
First symptoms and diagnosis
Johnathan first became ill in 2025 when his parents noticed him 'spacing out' for a few seconds at a time. His mother, Molly Greenwood, said the episodes became more intense and frequent over two to three weeks, culminating in four episodes within an hour. The family took him to A&E, where a CT scan revealed a mass on his brain.
Johnathan was taken to King's College Hospital that night, where doctors determined the mass was a tumour pressing on his brain and causing seizures. He underwent surgery to remove it last November and recovered quickly. Molly said: 'It all went very well, very smoothly. He bounced back within a few days, and we were discharged home. From that point, the seizures had stopped, which was lovely.'
Tumour regrowth and second operation
In January, the family learned Johnathan had a rare type of tumour involving a PLAG1 fusion. They hoped the operation had been sufficient, but an MRI scan around June or July showed the tumour had grown back. Johnathan required a second operation before being referred to the Royal Marsden for further treatment.
Tests then revealed the second tumour appeared different from the first, leaving doctors uncertain about the exact diagnosis. Molly explained: 'This second mass that we've just recently had removed no longer has this PLAG1 fusion, and it's now presenting more like a different type of cancer, but it doesn't fit all the markers for that cancer either. So, we're very much in the unknown at the moment. We don't really know what it is. He might be the first case, but we don't know.'
Long journeys and potential relocation
The Royal Marsden is consulting tumour specialists in the UK and abroad while further tests are carried out. Johnathan has already had his first round of chemotherapy, and his family expects him to have another, which could mean spending between a week and 10 days at the hospital. The journey from their home near Dover to Sutton takes around an hour and a half but can be much longer during rush-hour traffic.
Molly said: 'If we need to be there at nine in the morning, we're going to hit rush hour on the M25, in which case it can take much longer.' The family could face an even bigger upheaval if Johnathan undergoes radiotherapy. Molly added: 'When we have the radiotherapy, it's going to mean living in London as a family of four for six or seven weeks. So that's what we're trying to navigate, as well as maintaining all of our bills at home.'
Family's resilience and fundraising
Despite the challenges, Molly described Johnathan as a 'happy, cheeky boy' who loves superheroes and Spider-Man. She said: 'You wouldn't think looking at him that he's poorly in any way or had his first round of chemo. He's very helpful with the nurses and the doctors. He just cracks on with life. He's quite often jumping off the sofa or jumping from one thing to another, which a few days post-brain surgery is not what you want as a parent. But it's lovely to see at the same time.'
Johnathan has a younger sister, Alice, who will turn two in the coming weeks. Molly has taken a six-month unpaid sabbatical from work to care for him, while her self-employed husband has also not worked for several months. The family have used their savings and credit cards while also paying for fuel, parking, and food during treatment.
To help with costs, the family launched a GoFundMe with a £7,500 target. Molly said: 'I didn't think we'd get as far as we've got. We're at £6,650, which is just incredible. Just from friends, family, locally, I don't have an end goal in mind. Just every little helps.'
Molly said one of the hardest parts has been seeing the treatment affect her normally energetic son. 'When he's well, he is running and jumping around the place. So, when he's not like that, that's quite sad to see. Just seeing him lethargic and not himself is horrible.'
The family is now waiting to learn what comes next for Johnathan. Molly said: 'There are moments for me personally when everything stops, and it's very easy for your mind to go to a dark place, and you can't help but picture the worst-case scenario. But we have faith, and we are praying.' She added: 'We're so grateful for any of the help everyone has given us. The doctors have been amazing, friends, family, for extra childcare for my daughter. And now we're just hoping and praying.'
