May 9, 2018 1.37 pm This story is over 70 months old

Boy, 5, given just one year to live

He has a rare brain tumour.

The family of a five-year-old with an incurable and inoperable brain tumour are looking at different treatment options after news that he has just one year to live.

Liam Andrew was diagnosed with a rare cancerous brain tumour known as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) on Friday, May 4.

The only treatment available on the NHS is daily radiotherapy for six weeks, which Liam begins next week, and parents Amanda and Stewart are also exploring alternatives abroad.

Liam’s cousin Laura Fearnley has set up a Just Giving page to help raise funds for specialised trials and treatment across the globe.

Alternative treatments include GD2 CAR-T at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Most of the treatments cost up to £350,000 a time and the family is determined to try and make this happen, but they would also like to hear other ideas from people.

The family would like to use some money to make special memories for Liam on a family holiday.

Laura told The Lincolnite: “It’s extremely hard, you can’t prepare yourself for it.

“No words can describe how everyone is feeling. I spend every other day with him, it’s heartbreaking.”

‘Most caring and loveable little boy’

A Just Giving page has been set up to raise funds for treatment for Liam Andrew.

Laura describes Liam as “the most caring and loveable little boy you could ever meet. He is very intelligent for his age and amazes us everyday.”

“You only have to meet him once and you will be best friends for life. You will never meet a happier little boy, who will do anything for anyone just to make them smile.

“We have got to keep fighting for our gorgeous boy and we need all the help we can get.

Our family is doing everything possible, amid the whirlwind of disbelief we find ourselves in, to find alternative therapies and options that may work either outside or alongside the NHS.

“It’s our only hope of helping Liam and if we have hope, we can keep going.”