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When will brave Jay get a break?
Jay Brewer's brain cancer may have spread to his spine. He's also now in a wheelchair. He's going to John Radcliffe for scan tomorrow
Just as an eight-year-old’s brain cancer appeared to be shrinking his parents fear the disease may have spread to his spine.
The family of Jay Brewer, of Burton Latimer, are awaiting the results of a scan taken on Friday to see if the brain cancer that left him blind in one eye, obese and needing a wheelchair has spread to his spine.
His mum Sharon, 41, said: “Steve and I are of the opinion it’s likely to be a tumour. It doesn’t look good.
“We have got to wait for two weeks from Friday. We can’t believe Jay has so many problems.”
Tests in November appeared to show the golf ball-size tumour in his brain was shrinking after Jay underwent proton therapy in America in late 2010. But the same scans appeared to show abnormalities in his spine that suggest the disease is spreading.
The tumour was growing, putting pressure on parts of Jay’s brain that made him gain weight and lose sight in one eye, but doctors said it was benign and there was only a one in 6,000 chance it would spread.
But in a report on the November scan the specialist said: “Appearances are suggestive of spinal dissemination of the disease.”
If Friday’s scan finds new tumours Jay will immediately undergo radiotherapy five days a week for six weeks.
Doctors may be able to treat him at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where he had the scan on Friday.
The family could not afford to drive Jay there everyday, so Mrs Brewer would stay with him in Oxford while dad Steve, 44, stays at home in Grace Court with his brother Ryan, 10, and sister Abbie, five. If Jay needs anaesthetic he may have to be treated in London or Bristol.
Kind-hearted Evening Telegraph readers raised £7,000 so Mr Brewer, Ryan and Abbie could go with him to Florida while he had proton therapy.
Jay, who goes to Meadowside Primary School, is also suffering from curvature of the spine and bow legs.
His legs are so deformed his doctor wants to break and re-set them, but will take no action until the condition of his spine is resolved.
Jay has already undergone brain surgery twice and 18 months of chemotherapy in a failed bid to remove the brain tumour.
The family should hear the results of Friday’s scan in the next fortnight.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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