Brave schoolboy Bobby Humphries beams as he opens an early Christmas present.
“A police uniform!” gasps the six-year-old who dreams of joining the boys in blue when he grows up.
And that dream is itself remarkable – because he has TWICE successfully battled a brain tumour.
Next week, he will finally spend the whole of Christmas at home with his family.
Bobby completed his treatment at Birmingham Children’s Hospital just five weeks ago after beating cancer for the second time.
Last Christmas, he was in and out of hospital over the festive period while he continued chemotherapy treatment.
Now, Bobby will spend Christmas at home with parents Georgina and Aaron in Yardley.
“When they broke the news to us that Bobby had a brain tumour, we couldn’t believe it,” says Georgina, aged 32. “We felt numb.
“We had taken him into our local hospital, thinking he was suffering from a virus.
“But then we got the news that our little boy had been suffering from a brain tumour. It was horrendous.
“Last year, although Bobby was home on Christmas Day, he was in and out of hospital a couple of days before and a couple of days after, receiving chemotherapy.
“It just didn’t have that Christmas feel. This year, Aaron and I can’t wait to have him at home for the whole thing. It’s going to be really special.”
Four years ago, Bobby underwent surgery and chemotherapy for a large, low-grade glioma brain tumour when he was just a toddler.
His tumour was stabilised and Bobby was on the mend.
But in November 2017, his tumour recurred and he faced another gruelling course of chemotherapy over 18 months.
The treatment caused the young Birmingham City football fan to lose his hair and his parents were warned he could be left with irreversible hearing loss and kidney damage.
“In his short life, Bobby has already gone through so much,” says Georgina. “It’s been really tough.
“There are no words to describe how terrifying it is to be told your son has a brain tumour.
“When we were told that Bobby’s tumour had recurred, we were devastated.
“Chemotherapy caused him to suffer with horrendous sickness and a weakened immune system. But the location of his tumour, in his right frontal lobe, means it would be impossible to completely remove by surgery, so chemotherapy has always been the best option.”
Bobby rang his end of treatment bell at Birmingham Children’s Hospital on October 29, and is now looking forward to spending Christmas at home with his mum and dad.
The youngster has already been allowed to open one special present from under the tree – the police uniform which had been top of his Christmas list.
Passionate Bluenose Bobby, who is a pupil at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, is also hoping that Santa brings him a chef’s outfit and a play kitchen on Christmas morning.
“We can’t wait for Bobby to enjoy his Christmas at home this year,” says Georgina.
“His cousins and his Nan will be coming round, and he’s been well enough to go and visit Father Christmas at the grotto.
“On Friday, he’s also got his Christmas play at school, where he’s the narrator.
“The last four years have been really hard, but Bobby has coped really well and is always so positive. We are so proud of him.
“He’s finished his treatment and now the hospital will give him MRI scans every three months to monitor the tumour. Then we just have to wait and see.”
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Bobby and parents Georgina and Aaron, are working with the Brain Tumour Research charity to raise awareness of the disease, and to raise funds to support vital research to help find a cure.
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
Yet historically, just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
Michael Thelwall, head of community fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, says: “We are thrilled that Bobby can enjoy Christmas at home this year, treatment-free, but sadly we know that this won’t be the case for the many thousands of people affected by brain tumours across the UK.
“With the help of people like the Humphries family, together, we will find a cure.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and the larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.
To donate visit www.braintumourresearch.org/donation/our-christmas-hope/bobby-humphries
