A six-year-old boy has been handed a heartbreaking diagnosis after teachers notices something wrong with his eye. This has given Jayden Lamerberton just 12 months to live.
In December, Chelsea, Jayden's mum, received a phone call from his school saying they had noticed that his eye had 'turned inwards'. She took him to hospital where they booked him in for an MRI scan.
At the start of this year they received the devastating news that Jayden had a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma - a rare form of brain tumour. Jayden's dad, Jamie, told the LiverpoolECHO this was "every parent's worst nightmare".
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Jamie said: "He was fine and there was nothing wrong with him, then we found out. Bristol Hospital said they have not had a case of DIPG in two years and now my son has it.
"My heart has just been stamped all over and we are all struggling. He has siblings, who he will not get to see anymore and he is best mates with his younger brother who is five. It's hard to digest that he might not reach his next birthday."
DIPG originates in an area of the brainstem, called the pons. The pons is an area deep within the lower part of the brain that is responsible for a number of critical bodily functions, such as breathing, sleeping, and blood pressure.
Jayden lives in Plymouth with his mum and step-dad Daniel and the family said they are now trying to make as many "special memories" as they can. His dad said Jayden will receive radiotherapy to "give him as much time as possible".
"He is such a happy, caring, and loving little kid who will help anyone out," Jamie added. "Jayden is so gentle and amazing, you could not ask for a better son. Now we just want him to have the best time possible and that is what we are going to do.
"No family should experience this, there is so much we need and want to do in our short time left. We want to make his dreams come true."
Jayden is "football mad" and supports Liverpool, his family are taking him to Liverpool FC's next home game against Chelsea, and are hoping to meet some of the players. If you would like to donate to the GoFundMe page more information can be found here.
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