Hello,

My son Teddy is the absolute light of my life, he brings joy and a little sass daily to everyone he meets, you can usually find him singing & dancing even in the middle of a restaurant when his favourite Taylor Swift song comes on, He brings a genuine smile to everyone he meets.

Unfortunately a few months before Teddy's 5th Birthday he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of medulloblastoma, pediatric brain cancer.

After a routine visit to Specsavers at the end of September last year,due to us thinking he needed a script change for a headache, he was sent for further testing in hospital.

After a CT scan

We was given the devastating news that Teddy needed emergency brain surgery for a mass, in the back of his brain, and after what felt like a very long wait, for pathology we was told he had metatastic brain cancer.

I already knew, I think mummas know I felt it within every part of me that something was seriously wrong the day he had that scan,

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Medulloblastoma grade 4 with MYC amplification large cell anaplastic.

one of the worst most aggressive forms of pediatric brain cancer, and it had already extensively spread throughout his spine, brain and CSF fluid.

We could not believe it, our beautiful cheeky boy had only just started school, loving every moment with his new friends and now he faced the fight of his life at only 4!

A battle no child should have to go through.

Teddy has since had, a brain shunt placed in November, after he was blue lighted from Peterborough hospital to Addenbrokes, and given emergency surgery!

He has had,

2 rounds of induction chemotherapy to hault the cancer, along with 6weeks proton therapy in London which started in January.

In early December Teddy was placed on Hospice care with palliative care input, despite us going ahead with treatment.

We was told with out treatment he had 6/12weeks no parent should ever have to hear those words.

I admit I completely fell apart, We met with the wonderful Hospice staff, and a loose plan was put in place.

Although people around us told us to start a go fund me for costs, I could not bring myself to write these words, I could never see through the tears to explain why we needed a go fund me.

At the start of December, we was told we could go ahead after his induction chemotherapy and try proton, that it could work, & give him time as his scans from his first lot of chemotherapy, had shown the fact that his leptomeningeal spread had actually slowed and had some shrinkage despite a new smaller brain tumour, that there was now a chance that Teddy could possibly be cured

I moved to London with Teddy, very scared a few days after xmas with the support of my partner Liam, who managed to book a few days off work to settle us into our hospital rented apartment,

My partner Liam wanted to stay with us, however as we couldn't afford for us both stop work, we settled for visits throughout his stay.

At the time I had no idea just how much having a child with a devastating diagnosis of cancer,would financially impact us as a family.

From the start of his diagnosis I had given up my job, to be a full time career for Teddy,whilst

Liam my partner has continued to try and work to support us.

Despite not being Teddys daddy, he has been the most incredible pilla of support to us both,

We made the best of London, making sure Teddy got to enjoy days out at the weekend seeing the sites that London had to offer, despite it being difficult and side effects hitting him hard! we made it an adventure.

.

2 weeks ago at the end of March,

we recieved the news that he has shown overall shrinkage on all of his tumours except one in his brain,and that his metastasis all throughout had pretty much halved, letting us know that treatment was working and he could start chemotherapy.

Everyone had secretly had hoped that the fact Teddy was back dancing, running and having some days at school, that treatment must be working.

Teddy started his high risk protocol chemotherapy at the end of March.

It was changed from maintenance 9months to the intense 4 month protocol to give him the best chance.

It will be 4 rounds over 5 months, this is already tough for any child, but Teddy has the added complication of only having one functional kidney,

Our latest emergency after finishing his first round, at Addenbrokes has landed Teddy in hospital for 5 days so far, which is where I am currently writing this from,with an unknown sepsis level infection, which is worrying everyone, and has made us realise that we need to be a family unit at hospital in these times, Teddy needs both Liam and I by his side! This isn't going to get any easier for him, or us.

He also needs both of us at home, to look after him when not in hospital.

We have already purchased so many added extras to make Teddy's life more comfortable like bundle beans to keep him warm in his wheelchair, 100s of different foods to try and entice him to eat, as he no longer likes any of his favourite foods and many distraction toys to keep his mind off the pain and sickness.

Teddy is always freezing so lots of extra thick bedding, blankets have been purchased.

Teddy also now is really in need of a disability stroller, which unfortunately are not provided by the NHS at this time, his current wheelchair is getting increasingly uncomfortable for him, he can not relax or sleep in it, on long all day hospital visits.

He complains of pain in his back and legs due to the positioning, On days out, he only manages small amounts of time, in his wheelchair the rest of it he asks to be carried.

We have a puppy and Teddy really enjoys being outside on a walk, but unfortunately the wheelchair feels every small bump on the pavements so he doesnt ask to do this very much anymore.

To be able to provide all that Teddy needs, we have given in to the fact that we do need help, and to finally start a go fund me.

Liam and I have managed 7 months with no financial help, covering all the unexpected items Teddy has needed with the last of our savings and credit cards.

Whilst keeping up with all our daily life bills.

Thankyou for reading this far, and thankyou for any support you can offer us.

love

Cindy, Liam and Teddy. xx