KYREN WILSON has opened up on his son’s serious medical problems as he prepares for next month’s World Snooker Championship.
The world No.7 was sick with concern when his youngest son Bailey spent five days in hospital last month.
Doctors initially thought the issue could have been a potential tumour in his brain or back.
But following further examination and results of an MRI scan, the medical opinion is the five-year-old could have suspected Crohn’s disease, which causes inflammation of the stomach and bowels.
Though he ended up reaching the semi-finals of the Players Championship in Wolverhampton and decided against pulling out, Wilson admits he found it hard to concentrate properly on performances on the baize.
The 31-year-old plays China’s Ding Junhui on Friday in the Tour Championship semi-finals in Hull -- the penultimate tournament on the 2022-23 calendar -- with both playing chasing the £150,000 top prize on Sunday.
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But following Tuesday’s quarter-final victory over Ali Carter – who was diagnosed with Crohn’s 20 years ago – the Warrior revealed the emotional turmoil his family have faced in recent weeks.
Wilson, who also has an eight-year-old son Finley with wife Sophie, told the World Snooker Tour: “We had a couple of days to wait for an MRI scan to find out whether it was a tumour, and that was very tough.
“It now seems more likely it could be something like Crohn’s Disease, though we are still not sure.
“The last couple of days before coming here, he had turned a bit of a corner, he was running around. You wouldn’t have known anything was wrong.
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“It’s important to talk about these things sometimes, I think it can be quite detrimental if you bottle things up. His health is a priority.
“I have sometimes felt that snooker is the be-all and end-all.
“But this has made me realise how lucky I am, and it has freed me up to just enjoy the game.
“I didn’t want what has been happening off the table to come across as an excuse. But we’re entering a world where it is important to talk.
“In the past, I have never spoken about my behind-the-scenes life. But I felt it was important to do that this time around.”
The Crucible world snooker championship start on Saturday April 15 and defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan is aiming to win a record-breaking eighth world title.
What is Crohn's Disease?
It is a condition that causes inflammation of the digestive system.
The inflammation is the body's reaction to injury or irritation, and can cause redness, swelling and pain.
It is often described as a chronic condition and although sufferers will have periods of good health, there are flare-ups where symptoms are more active.
It is one of the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease - the other is a condition known as Ulcerative Colitis.
It can be caused by the genes a person has inherited, an abnormal reaction of the immune system and is probably triggered by something in the environment.
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