Doctor Dismissed ‘Knot’ Near Toddler’s Ribs as Constipation. Then He Was Diagnosed with Stage 3 Cancer

In March 2023, Hailey Robb was eight months pregnant with her third child when she and her husband, Austin Robb, noticed a small “knot” near their 2-year-old son’s left ribs.

“My husband noticed it while tickling him. I noticed it while giving him a bath,” Hailey recalls. “We must’ve both noticed it around the same time, and it came up in conversation soon after I did.”

Typically, Hailey was the more anxious parent, so she was alarmed when her calm and collected husband brought up the concern first. Days later, her mother — a nurse who rarely worries — noticed the lump too and urged them to get it checked.

Aside from the bump, Carter seemed perfectly fine. He and his older sister had recently recovered from a respiratory virus, and a little post-illness weight loss might have made the lump easier to spot.

“Neither of us wanted to think it could be something serious, but we both had that gut feeling that we needed to get it checked out,” Hailey says.

At the time, their longtime pediatrician had retired, so Carter was seen by a new doctor who showed little concern. “They didn’t really know what was going on, but they did feel the knot,” Hailey recalls. “The doctor mentioned bloating and possible constipation, so they ordered an X-ray.”

After reviewing the scan, the doctor said everything looked “normal.” But Hailey wasn’t satisfied. “The doctor said we’d just plan to check up on it at his next visit — a month away,” she remembers. “That didn’t sit right with me. I thought, ‘We’re supposed to wait until it’s an emergency before finding out what this knot is?’”

The next day, the couple decided to take Carter to the emergency room.

“We believe it was 100% our parent intuition and discernment from God that something needed to be done soon,” Hailey shares.

While Austin stayed home with their daughter, Hailey’s mom joined her for the hospital visit. Two trusted voices helped guide their decision — a close family friend who’s a physician assistant and their retired pediatrician. Both recommended Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital in Nashville, about an hour away.

“I’m not going to lie, the thought of it being cancer crossed my mind for a moment,” Hailey admits. “But I brushed that off. I tried to convince myself it was maybe a cyst or something harmless.”

At the ER, doctors ran bloodwork and ordered a CT scan and ultrasound. When the doctor returned, his expression said it all.

“He offered me a seat, and I knew in my spirit what he was about to say,” Hailey recalls. “‘Your child has cancer.’”

The news was shattering. Hailey broke down, overwhelmed by fear for her little boy and the long road ahead.

Once Austin arrived at the hospital, the couple met Carter’s oncology team, who Hailey says took “wonderful care” of their son. Initially, doctors suspected a Wilms tumor, a common and treatable kidney cancer. They hoped it might be caught early enough to avoid intensive chemotherapy.

Surgery to remove the tumor and kidney was set for April but was moved up unexpectedly to March 30 — a change Hailey believes was divine intervention.

“It turned out to be much more serious than we thought,” she says.

Surgeons successfully removed the tumor, kidney, and part of Carter’s adrenal gland. The tumor measured 9 centimeters — larger than the kidney itself.

Weeks later, Hailey’s oncologist confirmed the true diagnosis: clear cell sarcoma (CCS) of the kidney, a rare and more aggressive cancer. The disease had spread to one of Carter’s lymph nodes, making it stage 3.

Carter underwent six radiation treatments and nine rounds of inpatient chemotherapy, including doxorubicin, known as “the red devil.”

“Those months were tough,” Hailey says. “Carter was so strong and resilient, but there were many scary days and nights.”

He required a blood transfusion after every chemo session and once developed an infection in his port. Despite everything, Carter finished his final round of chemotherapy in October 2023, surrounded by quiet celebration.

Follow-up scans confirmed he was cancer-free by November 7, 2023. A month later, doctors removed his port. The moment was emotional for Hailey: “Seeing him hold that little cup with his port felt like victory. All I could do was thank God for being with us, with his doctors, and with everyone who helped us along the way.”

In January 2025, the Robbs welcomed their fourth child — just one month after celebrating Carter’s first year in remission.

“My husband and I leaned on God and each other,” Hailey says. “The hardest time in our lives brought us closer. We also had so much support from our parents, friends, and community.”

Now 4 years old and two years cancer-free, Carter is thriving.

“I want to bring awareness for so many reasons,” Hailey says. “Parents need to know how important it is to advocate for their children. Doctors are people too — they aren’t perfect. Sometimes things get missed, but if you believe your baby needs something checked out, keep pushing for answers. You could save their life.”

Today, Hailey says Carter is doing “fantastic.” Though his journey will always leave a mark, her little boy is running, laughing, and living like any carefree preschooler should.