Helping brave Jay, 6, fight his cancer after being told the NHS has done all it can

The family and friends of a six-year-old boy who is undergoing treatment for cancer are raising money to pay for possible private care after being told the NHS has done all it can.

Jay Davison, of Isleham, was diagnosed early in 2017 with medulloblastoma, which accounts for a fifth of all brain tumours in children, and has undergone treatments including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

“When Jay woke up on Boxing Day morning in 2016, we noticed he had developed a squint in one of his eyes so we took him to the optician who said we should see the doctor and we were referred to Addenbrooke’s,” said Jay’s mum, said Keily.

“The diagnosis came right out of the blue. There was this very grave doctor telling us that our son had tumours in his brain and on his spine.”

Keily and Jay’s father Martin opted for their son to be treated with chemotherapy straight away, having been warned that radiotherapy could have an effect on learning.

“Over the next nine months, Jay had six cycles of chemo and a stem-cell transplant to reset his bone marrow. He was so brave through it all. There was always a smile on his face,” said Keily, who also paid tribute to her daughters, 17-year-old Bryony and Teagan, 13, from her first marriage.

“Bryony is at college and got merits and distinctions in all her subjects as well as running the house and looking after Teagan while we were at the hospital. I am so proud of them both.”

In September, Keily and Martin received the good news that a scan had shown no sign of a tumour and that the cancer had gone into clinical remission.

Three months later on December 11, 2017, the family was told Jay had relapsed.

“It was one of the blackest days,” said Keily.

“We were told Jay would need surgery and that we would have to go to Alderhey Children’s Hospital, in Liverpool. By the time we went there in January, Jay had developed another tumour but the surgeon told us he was confident he could get them out – and he did.”

Six weeks of radiotherapy followed with rays directed at Jay’s brain and spine.

“Most children have to be put to sleep but Jay did it all wide awake every weekday for six weeks. He was amazingly brave,” said Keily.

“Last week we started on five-day oral chemotherapy which we can give him at home.”

And on Monday they heard the news they had prayed for – Jay’s first follow-up scan was clear and although the oral chemo will continue for six months, his treatment should be over.

But the family have been warned if there is another relapse nothing more can be done on the NHS and then they could have to seek private treatment abroad.

“If the worst does happen we want to be ready and that is why we have started fund-raising now, so the money is there if it needed and if it isn’t we will donate it all to The Brain Tumour Charity or Children With Cancer UK,” said Keily.

Meanwhile, Jay has been catching up with friends and things he has missed over the past 18 months.

“If it wasn’t for the feeding tube, his baldness and his scars, you would never know what he has been through,” said Keily.

“He is never grumpy, just a happy and contented normal little boy. He is my hero and the light of my life.”

Donations can be made via justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jaysjourney2017 or follow the family’s facebook page at fb.com/jaysjourney2017 for updates on fund-raising events.