THE family of a Prenton schoolboy diagnosed with a rare brain tumour are raising cash to help take him abroad for potentially life-saving treatment.

Seven-year-old Sid Earley has been diagnosed with Ependymoma - a rare, large cancerous tumour which can start in the brain or spinal chord.

Ependymomas can sometimes spread to other parts of the brain or spinal cord but do not spread to other parts of the body.

A pupil at Redcourt St Anselm’s, Sid underwent a 10-hour operation on his brain to remove the tumour last week which doctors have hailed as a success.

Sid’s family are now looking to take him abroad to receive eight to 10 weeks of intensive proton beam therapy - not available on the NHS.

Although the NHS have agreed to fund Sid’s treatment, they will not be able to cover the cost of flying out his identical twin brother Mac which has devastated mum Alex and dad Simon.

His aunt Robyn Dunbar told the Globe: “Within the last two weeks my whole family’s life has been turned upside down when my gorgeous little nephew Sid was found to have a large cancerous tumour surrounding his brain stem entrapping all of his facial nerves in the process.

“We as a family are so grateful to all of those at Arrowe Park and Alder Hey Hospital for acting quickly and getting him into surgery just two days from diagnosis.

“The surgery was a success and the tumour was removed.

“We are now looking at intensive proton therapy treatment abroad which is the only option available to allow Sid to continue having a happy and healthy life side by side with his identical twin brother Mac.

“We do not know as of yet where Sid will be sent for treatment but we are told this will be happening within the next three or four weeks and he will be treated daily.

“This treatment is imperative to Sid’s recovery and without it would have detrimental effects.”

Wirral Globe:

Proton therapy is a type of radiotherapy and uses beams of protons to kill cancerous cells.

The therapy has a 70% survival rate for patients like Sid.

Robyn added: “While the NHS will fund for the treatment for Sid, we would love to be able to raise the money to pay for his identical twin Mac’s flight and help towards their living costs while abroad.

“They will endure massive loss of earnings throughout this horrendous time and will also incur a lot of additional costs.

“My hope is that they will still be able to spend the summer together as a solid family unit while making the most of what is of course awful time in everyone’s lives.

“I would love to be able to help ease their financial pressures during this time and hope that people will find it in their hearts to donate whatever they can to keep their family together for the summer.

“And more importantly two identical twins that adore and miss each-other everyday that they are not together while Sid is in hospital.

“We have no idea of what it will cost being away and also maintaining a family home and bills as they will not have the opportunity to work throughout the duration of Sid’s treatment.

“What I do know however is that every penny raised will help ease some of the pressure on my amazing family.”

To donate please visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/supersid