Merseyside mum fundraising for brain tumour charity in support of her son

Maximus is the inspiration for Keira's challenge. Pic: Brain Tumour Research

Submitted by Mark Bosworth

A local mum is now halfway through her charity challenge, which she is completing for her five-year-old son who was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Keira Johnson, from Lydiate, Merseyside, is taking 10,000 steps every day in February to raise money for Brain Tumour Research.

Keira's son, Maximus, was diagnosed with a brain tumour when he was just 10 months old.

In October 2017, Maximus was sent to Alder Hey Children's Hospital for a CT scan, after a consultant at Ormskirk and District General Hospital became concerned about his eye.

The scan revealed a mass on his brain.

Keira said: "It was just horrendous. I was crying to my mum, thinking that I was going to lose my baby."

Surgeons managed to remove the whole tumour during an eight-hour operation.

At the end of October, Maximus started a 13-month course of chemotherapy.

His final day of treatment was on his second birthday.

In March 2019, a check-up scan revealed the tumour had returned.

Keira said: “We couldn’t believe it. We didn’t expect it to come back after the chemotherapy.

"We thought he would go on and lead a normal life.”

In July 2021, the tumour also returned to his brainstem, so he had another operation to remove it.

This caused facial palsy and Maximus was unable to close his eye, so he needed Botox injections to fix it.

In October 2021, Maximus underwent a six-week course of radiotherapy at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Birkenhead.

Maximus’ most recent scan, in January 2022, came back all clear.

Keira said: “That was the best feeling in the world, I was so happy.

“We celebrated, but it’s short-lived because we just don’t know what the next scan will show.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK.

It also campaigns for the Government to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.

Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Keira for taking on this challenge.

"It’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Maximus who are forced to fight this awful disease."

To donate to Keira’s 10,000 Steps a Day fundraiser, click here.

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