RAFFI Starkowitz was just three years old when he suddenly became “unsteady” on his feet.
The tot had previously been behaving and playing normally until nursery staff called his mum Nicky with worries that he was struggling to walk.
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The parents rushed Raffi, from from Bushey, Hertfordshire, to Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, where his mum works, and then to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
While he was there, doctors diagnosed him with large cell anaplastic medulloblastoma – a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer.
It mainly affects children and is known for spreading quickly through the brain and spinal cord, making it potentially life-threatening if not caught early
Raffi has since undergone major brain surgery to remove the large cancerous tumour, as well as a lumbar puncture to collect spinal fluid and check if the cancer has spread,
Read more on brain tumours
He has also just begun six weeks of chemotherapy treatment, where his dad, Neil, and Nicky will be taking some time off work to support him.
Meanwhile, close family friend Jamie Gross, who works with Nicky at Northwick Park, is taking on a 100k ultra-marathon from London to Brighton to help fundraise for the family.
The money raised, which has surpassed £20,000, will go towards the financial burdens faced by Raffi’s parents from time off work, travel to Great Ormond Street, and medical expenses.
The 47-year-old added: “When you have had this horror moment where things have turned upside down, you need your care and attention to be on that.
“Not worrying about how you are going to cope financially – it’s going to be terrible.
“That’s when I came up with the idea.”
The families each have two children at Hertsmere Jewish Primary School in Radlett and are members of the Bushey Synagogue community.
Jamie described how just a few weeks ago Raffi had been playing “like any other child, without a care in the world” when the families were together.
He said that the heartfelt thanks and deep gratitude of himself and Raffi’s family goes out to everyone who has donated so far.
The Bushey resident added: “The number one thing we are hoping for is that he survives and he recovers.”
The challenge, called Run for Raffi, will take place in just under a month with donations still being taken through GoFundMe, which – at time of writing – had already raised £20k of the £22k target.
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The most common symptoms of a brain tumour
More than 12,000 Brits are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour every year — of which around half are cancerous — with 5,300 losing their lives.
The disease is the most deadly cancer in children and adults aged under 40, according to the Brain Tumour Charity.
Brain tumours reduce life expectancies by an average of 27 years, with just 12 per cent of adults surviving five years after diagnosis.
There are two main types, with non-cancerous benign tumours growing more slowly and being less likely to return after treatment.
Cancerous malignant brain tumours can either start in the brain or spread there from elsewhere in the body and are more likely to return.
Brain tumours can cause headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting and memory problems, according to the NHS.
They can also lead to changes in personality weakness or paralysis on one side of the problem and problems with speech or vision.
The nine most common symptoms are:
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Feeling sick
- Being sick
- Memory problems
- Change in personality
- Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- Vision problems
- Speech problems
If you are suffering any of these symptoms, particularly a headache that feels different from the ones you normally get, you should visit your GP.
Source: NHS