‘Sporty’ teenager left paralysed from shoulder down determined to carry on with passions as condition is ‘bump in the road’

A once “seriously sporty” teenager left partially paralysed from the shoulder down is determined to carry on with his life and he views his condition as “a bump in the road”.

At the age of six, Shayne Dawson-Dymond, from the West Midlands, was found to have a benign bone tumour at the top of his left knee, which was later removed, but a routine scan in April 2024 revealed a new shadow on his left shin bone.

Following further scans, Shayne, now 16, had another benign tumour in the area and he underwent a biopsy – but “complications” from the surgery left him with an “oozing wound” and pressure at the back of his knee, causing “excruciating pain”.

Shayne’s mother, Claire Dawson, 45, said her son started to lose feeling in his left leg and after a series of operations Shayne, an avid kayaker and horse rider, was informed he would “never regain the use” of his limb.

Determined to carry on as normal, Shayne “hopped about” on his other leg and took part in a kayaking race in July this year, but a mile in, he experienced a stitch-like sensation and struggled to breathe, before he had a seizure and was rushed to hospital.

While not confirmed, it is thought Shayne has suffered with functional neurological disorder (FND) – a problem with how the brain receives and sends information to the body – and it has caused him to become partially paralysed from the shoulder down, with limited movement in his arms and right leg.

While his left leg may never recover, Claire hopes her son’s current paralysis is temporary and Shayne, who was due to start college in September but is taking a year out, has set his sights on “getting back in (his) boat” and “getting back to competing”.

“I don’t think you can let something like this get in the way,” Shayne told PA Real Life.

“You’ve got to take it as a bump in the road.

“Obviously, some bumps are going to be bigger than others but you’ve just got to keep pushing over the bumps to get to the smooth road.

“I just want to get back, fit and healthy, and carry on with my life as it goes forward.”

Claire said her son has always been “active”.

“Shayne has always been a seriously sporty child, he never sat on a computer, he’s constantly training,” she said.

When Shayne was six years old, a benign bone tumour was discovered at his the top of his left knee, which was later removed.

Because of this, Shayne has been monitored with scans every six to 12 months for the last 10 years to ensure the tumour has not reappeared.

During a routine scan in April 2024, a shadow was discovered on his left shin bone.

Shayne had an X-Ray on his leg that month, followed by an MRI scan in August 2024, which revealed the shadow had grown in size.

In November 2024, Shayne received a biopsy on the unidentified mass, where it was found to be “another begin lesion”, Claire said.

She said there were “complications” following the biopsy procedure however.

“The wound was oozing a lot, he was able to walk on his leg but it was painful,” she said.

Over the following days, Shayne started to experience “pressure in the back of his leg”.

“He was crying in agony, the pain was excruciating,” Claire said.

“His foot was swelling and he started to say his leg was going numb.”

Shayne went to A&E, where doctors thought he could be suffering with compartment syndrome – an increase in pressure inside a muscle, which restricts blood flow and causes pain, according to the NHS.

Shayne was monitored but he had “lost sensation from the knee down”, Claire said.

He had another two operations on his leg with the aim of relieving the pressure, but the feeling did not return.

After recovering from the surgeries and undergoing “nerve conduction studies” in December 2024, it was found Shayne would “never regain the use of that leg”, Claire said.

She added: “He got around though and was living life very well, he hopped about on his other leg.

“It was a massive change of lifestyle but it wasn’t the end of the world.”

Determined to continue with his passions, Shayne, an avid kayaker who has competed nationally, set his sights on tackling a race on July 6 this year.

“He got out about a mile and said he felt like he got a stitch up his side, he couldn’t breathe properly and pulled over,” Claire recalled.

“He started having spasms, seizure-type episodes – his whole side was contracting.”

Claire said the episode lasted “two-and-a-half hours” as Shayne was rushed to hospital.

“He had three massive spasms in hospital, his whole body sort of shook him up and then he just went floppy,” she said.

“He’s been floppy ever since.”

While it has not yet been confirmed, it is thought Shayne suffered from functional neurological disorder (FND), a problem with how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body, according to the NHS.

“We think he had a small sports injury, and his nervous system just shut down,” Claire said.

“It couldn’t cope with anything else, it just went into safe mode, it literally switched the off button.”

Claire said Shayne has been partially paralysed from the shoulder down since the race – and it was only on September 30 where he started to regain movement and control of his head.

“He can use his arms and his right leg, but he has no use of his trunk or left side,” she said.

“It’s hoped the movement will come back from the waist up, but we can’t say how much or when.

“It could come back tomorrow, it could come back in 18 months.”

Shayne said his situation has been “very difficult” to process.

“Going from being fully able-bodied to partially disabled definitely takes its toll,” he said.

“It’s definitely been hard to process, especially being 16.

“You’ve just got to keep fighting through the hard place to get to the good place.

“I can sit in my bedroom, cry about it and lock myself away from the world, but it’s still going to be the same.

“I know my leg isn’t going to come back, but I keep the mentality that the rest is temporary.”

While he is currently unable to paddle in a kayak or get back on a horse, Shayne said he is determined to stay strong and motivated.

He is now receiving physiotherapy sessions and said he is also working with the GB Junior Team for Paracanoeing, as he aims to take to the again water in future.

“I want to get back in my boat, back on my horse and get back to competing,” he said.

“I also want to raise awareness for others going through similar things.”

Claire added: “We know he will not be able to walk again unaided but I just want him to have the best quality of life he can possibly have.”

She has launched a GoFundMe page in order to purchase a “better” wheelchair for Shayne, which will also include an electric bike attachment to give him more independence.

She estimates they will need to raise around £6,000 in total for the equipment, raising over £3,500 so far.

Claire said: “Don’t take anything for granted and keep fighting.

“When something like this happens, you have to keep fighting for your child.”