An East Lancashire mum has set up a fundraiser after her two-year-old son was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour.

Elizabeth Walls, from Rishton, is raising money for medical, fuel and living costs as her son Theodore Walls, also known as Teddy, undergoes a type of radiotherapy at the Christie Hospital in Manchester.

Elizabeth, 25, says life has been difficult ever since Teddy received the devastating diagnosis in April.

Lancashire Telegraph: Teddy WallsTeddy Walls

She said: “It’s been a hard few months.

“It’s every parent’s worst nightmare and your whole world turns upside down after being told your child has cancer.”

Teddy started to feel unwell in February and later had difficulties walking.

What Elizabeth and doctors though was the after effects of an ear infection turned out to be a “fast growing and aggressive” brain tumour.

Teddy is currently being treated for grade three glioma but doctors aren’t 100 per cent certain that this is the correct diagnosis.

Elizabeth said: “He had a CT scan at Blackburn Hospital and we were taken in a room to be told there was a mass in the back of his head.

“After being told I just froze and didn’t know what to think.”

Despite the difficult time, Elizabeth says Teddy has been “absolutely amazing”.

She said: “Our doctor is amazed at how well he is doing.

“I am so proud of him. He doesn’t sit there wallowing and he gets up each day wanting to play.

“Kids all remember him and he’s made so many friends at the hospital.”

Teddy has now been selected to undergo a type of radiotherapy called proton beam therapy, which targets the tumour without causing as much damage to the surrounding tissues and organs.  

Lancashire Telegraph: Teddy Walls with mum, ElizabethTeddy Walls with mum, Elizabeth

However, the treatment will be hard on Teddy who will have to be put to sleep every week day for more than six weeks in order to receive it.

He will also be required to fast every day and could also suffer from long-term hearing and memory issues as a result.

Elizabeth said: “We’re so glad that we’ve been successful in getting proton therapy which means we can target the tumour itself instead of the whole of his head.

“However, we’ve been told Teddy will lose some or most of his hearing to his left side and that he could suffer from short-term memory issues as a result.”

As a result of these life-changing side effects the family is raising money to help with additional treatment after the therapy is over.

They will also use some of the money raised to pay for fuel and living costs.

Elizabeth said: “With the cost of living crisis and rising fuel cost we were worried about our finances.

“My husband, Robert, has had to carry on working throughout this just so we can pay our bills, as I am on maternity pay which isn’t very much.

“This money will allow him to be there to support Teddy throughout the treatment.

“The money raise will also pay for our fuel costs needed to get to and from Christie Hospital in Manchester.”

So far Elizabeth has raised more than £4,000.

She said: “We managed to raise over £3,000 in just one week which is amazing.

“It’s so lovely that there are so many people that want to help.”

If you want to make a donation and support the family visit their GoFundMe at: https://gofund.me/bdf0a6a2