Neighbours recreate Christmas for boy with cancer

Residents in Friar Park, Wednesbury, put their Christmas decorations back up for Tommy-Rae Johnson Martin

Residents on a street have turned it into a winter wonderland for a terminally ill child who spent Christmas in hospital.

Four-year-old Tommy-Rae Johnson Martin, who was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour, was discharged from Birmingham Children's Hospital on Monday.

His neighbours on Carisbrooke Road, Friar Park, Wednesbury, lined the street to welcome him home after planning a week's worth of fun activities to recreate the festive period he had missed.

His mum Romaine Lawley, who also has a six-week-old baby daughter, said the support from her neighbours was amazing.

"It's a small estate, we're all just family together. Friar Park is a family and it's always been like that since we were kids," she said.

Nan Emma Taylor said: "I already knew this community was amazing but wow, there aren't any words I can use for this winter wonderland."

"I think Tommy-Rae got to the point where he thought we were all telling lies and we weren't coming home from hospital, so for him to see this is the best feeling ever."

Tommy-Rae's nan Emma Taylor said it was amazing to have him home

The community organised different events for each day of the week including a visit from Santa, a performance by a choir from St Francis Church, a ride past by a local motorcycle club and a horse drive on Saturday.

Tommy-Rae was diagnosed with an embryonal tumour on 14 December after his parents took him to hospital, concerned he was suffering from constipation.

It's a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer which mainly affects babies and children and involve embryonal cells, left over from fetal development.

"We've been in hospital for seven weeks, we've not been home," his grandmother said.

"We kept this private until we got the dreadful news and then we knew it's time to bring Tommy home so it's all overwhelming but if anything comes out of this I hope it's awareness."

Tommy-Rae had five operations at Birmingham Children's Hospital but his family said surgeons were unable to remove all of the tumour and the cancer continued to spread.

The four-year-old had five operations but his mother said the cancer continued to spread

"The chance of survival for Tommy-Rae is 0%," Ms Taylor said.

"His oncology doctor reached out to seven different specialists all over the world, from Canada to Germany and all have come to the same conclusion.

"Only 3% of all cancer funds go to this disease and it's not enough."

The family had to have specialist training before leaving hospital in order to deliver end-of-life care at home.

This includes a low dose of daily chemotherapy and draining fluid to relieve the pressure on the four-year-old's brain.

"He has to have hourly observations but now he's home the difference is amazing, there's no scared feeling for him," Ms Taylor said.

"He's comfortable and he's got his family around him."