A Northumberland boy who has been given a terminal cancer diagnosis is set to celebrate his "biggest and best" birthday next week.
Cyrus Henderson, 12, from Amble, was diagnosed with an aggressive strain of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in February 2021. Against the odds, he went into remission after a CarT transplant but then relapsed again on July 15 2022, a day before his 12th birthday.
On Wednesday June 7 this year, his mum Kizi received the heartbreaking news that Cyrus has just months left to live. Now, she wants to make sure that he can make the most of the time he has left and is planning a huge birthday bash on July 1 at the Newcastle United Foundation.
A keen gamer, Cyrus loves his Xbox and regularly plays Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto, and Call of Duty. His party will take place at the foundation's e-sports arena, with his mum, his siblings Shay, 25, Jonathon, 20, and Cheyenne, 15, and the friends he has made on Ward 4 at the Great North Children's Hospital at the RVI.
Kizi told ChronicleLive: "The party is just to get him out to do something that he's really interested in and to mix with the other kids that he's made a good friendship with on the ward, as well as his siblings, to give him the most amazing memories possible."
Kizi described her son as "really funny", saying: "Cyrus has autism so he's quite a quiet boy, he doesn't take to people really well. It takes a long time for him to get used to them but when he does, he's a really funny little boy, he's got a quirky personality and no filter to be honest, which can get him into trouble!"
The last two years have been hard emotionally and mentally for the 12-year-old, who has undergone chemotherapy and a CarT transplant. Kizi continued: "With how ill he has been, it's cost him so much.
"He's lost his mobility, he can't walk, the pain, the treatment, being away from his family for months on end. It's been very hard emotionally and mentally."
And it has been difficult for his loved ones too. Kizi has given up her job in a nursing home to become Cyrus's full-time carer.
She continued: "It's the hardest thing a mum could do having to sit by their child's bedside knowing that they can do nothing, they've just got to watch. It's one fight we can't do for them, it makes you feel useless as a parent.
"It's been really hard on his siblings too, with Covid there has been restricted visiting in hospital and they haven't been able to see him as much as they would like. It's put an impact on my relationship with them as I've missed birthdays, I've missed the past two Christmases with them, obviously I've been where I needed to be but they still need their mum as well."
As well as giving Cyrus a day "full of memories", Kizi wants to raise awareness of early diagnosis. Before his diagnosis of ALL, Cyrus was told he had viral flu by his GP.
She finished: "Cyrus had been ill for weeks before we got a diagnosis, and I've heard the same thing so many times before from other parents in this situation."
Cyrus is currently at home with his family and his birthday party will take place on July 1. His birthday is on July 16.
Cyrus's GoFundMe has already surpassed its £2,000 target, with any funds left over going to the family. To donate to Cyrus's birthday fundraiser, visit the GoFundMe website.
