A FOUR-year-old-boy from Nelson who had one of his kidneys removed and had to learn to walk again has been presented with a Cancer Research Kids Star Award.

Zaid Ali was just two when he was diagnosed with Wilms’ Tumour, a type of kidney cancer that mostly affects children under the age of seven.

The doctors discovered his illness when his worried mum, Ashleigh Smith, took him to the GP after he stopped eating at the end of 2016.

Miss Smith, 27, said Zaid had been ill for some time but when his stomach started to swell, she rushed him to the surgery where he was sent straight to hospital.

In April 2017, following extensive tests, Miss Smith, and Zaid’s dad, Habibur Ali, were given the devastating cancer diagnosis, and over the following 12 months, Zaid had an operation to remove the tumour as well as one of his kidneys, and underwent gruelling chemotherapy, which resulted in him losing all his hair.

The repercussions of the chemo had such a profound affect that his mum had to teach him to walk again.

Miss Smith, who has two other children, Kaiyan, six, and Inaayah, two, said: “As a mum, I had to leave my two other children for a year while Zaid was going through treatment.

“It was incredibly difficult when he lost his hair as it really hit his confidence.”

It was at this point that Miss Smith decided to nominate Zaid for the Cancer Research Kids Star Award.

After he was presented with a trophy and certificate at the end of 2018, Miss Smith said she now wants to highlight the awards scheme, which recognises the courage of children with cancer by celebrating their strength, and is encouraging anyone who knows a young cancer patient to nominate them for the honour.

Despite Zaid still needing regular check-ups, he has made a good recovery, finishing treatment in June last year.

In September he joined the reception class at Barrowford Primary School.

Miss Smith said: “He is a happy little boy now and enjoying a normal life at school.”

Jane Bullock, spokesperson for Cancer Research UK Kids and Teens in the North West, said: “We’re calling on people in Lancashire to nominate inspirational youngsters for this year’s Cancer Research UK Kids and Teens Star Awards so that we can recognise their incredible courage.”