A family is coming to terms with the heartbreaking news that a much-loved little boy has been diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of five.
Jaxen Judge was diagnosed with the aggressive cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, "around seven weeks ago" and is currently receiving treatment at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary. He has started chemotherapy and had a range of difficult medical procedures.
But despite battling the rare disease, his aunt Stephanie Dumble has told of how the "happy, bubbly" little boy continues to have a smile on his face.
Read more: Baby who needed to be airlifted to Newcastle's RVI reunited with paramedic four years later
Stephanie said: "Jaxen's going through it all but he's still smiling and it breaks my heart. When I was able to go and visit him he was just his normal, happy self, even with everything that's going on.
"I was sitting there thinking please don't cry, please don't cry because we have to be strong for him."
She added: "It must be so hard for Jaxen going through all this but it hasn't stopped him smiling. He's such a bubbly and happy little boy and he's still trying to have fun."
As well as being an incredibly difficult time for Jaxen's parents, the diagnosis is also come as a shock to his three older siblings.
Stephanie has been trying to help her sister, Jaxen's dad Shaun, and the children as they come to terms with Jaxen's diagnosis. And now she is hoping to fundraise to send the family, from Newbiggin Hall, on a break when Jaxen finishes the harrowing treatment.
She said: "The family and my sister are really struggling, to be honest. She's got four kids. There's nothing else we can do, we can't make Jaxen better but I think when he is through his treatment and does feel better it would be lovely to help them all go away together.
"Jaxen's illness has just taken over - and it's so bad at the minute when everyone is already struggling.
"But I would just really like to be able to do this for them. Even if it was just a weekend away somewhere nearby, that'd be lovely."
Stephanie added: "It's not just about Jaxen either. The other three [children] are older but not too much older and they don't understand. And obviously lots of attention has been on him. I want to do this for the whole family."
Anyone wishing to donate towards a holiday for Jaxen and his family can do so by visiting Stephanie's GoFundMe page, here.
Read more:
