Our names are Jackie and Stephen, and we are the proud parents of Max, George, and Hope.

We are fundraising to help our beautiful, brave son Max access treatment that could give him a fighting chance. On the 27th of November 2025—just six days after celebrating his 14th birthday—our world changed in an instant. Max suddenly suffered an unexpected seizure. A second followed soon after, and he was rushed to hospital, where he was placed on life support.

He was transferred from Kettering General Hospital to the Intensive Care Unit at Nottingham Queen’s Medical Centre. After CT and MRI scans, doctors first suspected a viral infection. But on the 29th of November, we received the most devastating news a parent can hear: Max has a large brain tumour. Because of where it is located, it cannot be operated on. We have since been told that treatment options through the NHS are very limited, and that the tumour is considered incurable.

Max is an extraordinary boy—funny, kind, gentle, and full of love. He is the most caring big brother to George, who is just a year younger, and to his little sister Hope, who is 11. He means the absolute world to them.

He is in Year 9 at Weldon Village Academy in Corby, having previously attended Priors Hall Primary School. Max loves school and has a wide circle of friends whom he misses dearly. Football is his passion—he plays in two leagues for GLK United in Northampton. He is a huge Manchester United fan and adores Oasis. His joy for life is infectious.

All of this came completely out of the blue. Until the 27th of November, Max was fit and healthy, aside from headaches he’d been experiencing for a year. We were assured these were nothing to worry about, believed to be teenage migraines. No scans were offered, and we can’t help but feel that earlier investigation might have given us different options. Our world has been shattered, and from the moment Max was taken into hospital, we have been researching tirelessly—alongside our family and friends—looking for any hope, any possibility.

We believe there may be treatment options available abroad, including in Germany, and we are determined to give Max every chance we can.

We are now raising funds to help Max receive alternative treatment—treatment that could give him more time, more comfort, and, we pray, more hope. Anything you can give, whether through donating or simply sharing this page, means more to us than we can ever express. No gesture is too small.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading, for caring, and for standing with us.

With love,

Jackie, Stephen, Max, George & Hope x