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Boy with brain tumour has 'amazing' party at old ward

Joe Howarth/Make-A-Wish A group of people smiling with their arms round each other. Some of them are wearing t-shirts saying 'London 2024' on them, while others' say 'Spread a smile'. At the front stands Jacob, a 10-year-old boy with glasses and holding a magic wand. He's wearing a cap saying 'Make-A-Wish' and smiling.Joe Howarth/Make-A-Wish
Jacob returned to the ward that treated him for a party

A 10-year-old boy with a brain tumour has returned to the hospital that treated him to have a party.

Jacob, from Gosport, Hampshire, spent six weeks receiving Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) at University College London Hospital (UCLH) after being diagnosed with a brain tumour aged seven.

In a trip organised by charity Make-A-Wish, he returned to the city to do all the things he had not been well enough to do the first time, and had a party with hospital staff.

Jacob's mother, Donna, said it was "the most amazing thing ever" and "felt like closure".

Jacob was diagnosed with a brain tumour after he started getting headaches and being sick.

The tumour was removed but a year later it grew back, so Jacob was sent to UCLH for PBT, a kind of radiotherapy.

Family handout A young boy lying in a hospital bed with a large bandage on his head.Family handout
Jacob had two surgeries to remove his brain tumour before receiving the radiotherapy

Jacob is autistic, and initially struggled with the treatment.

But Donna said once they had a routine, he "completely thrived on it".

Even so, she was "dubious" when he said he wanted to "do his whole routine again" as his Wish.

"We had very different journeys," she said.

"For me, it was a horrible experience and I was happy to never go back to London again."

But Jacob was insistent, so the charity organised a trip for Donna, Jacob, and his cousin and auntie.

As well having the party at the clinic, they also went on the London Eye, a river cruise and a bus tour of the city.

"When we were there before he wasn't in a fit state to do anything," said Donna.

"Being able to do all those things meant so much to Jacob."

Joe Howarth/Make-A-Wish Donna sitting in a large orange armchair with her arms round Jacob, who is sitting on her knee. Jacob is wearing a blue 'Make-A-Wish' baseball cap and a t-shirt saying 'London 2024', with some messages written on it in felt tip pen. Donna has strawberry blonde hair, and is wearing a white t-shirt and smiling at the camera.Joe Howarth/Make-A-Wish
Donna said Jacob wanted to do their routine again, as well as do all the things he was too ill to do last time they were in London

A year on from his treatment, Donna said scans showed there was still "something" on Jacob's brain but it was not growing.

She said the trip to London felt like "closure".

"Sitting in that room and seeing everyone who has supported him through that journey, it was amazing," she said.

"I haven't seen him smile and laugh like that in such a long time."

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