A MOTHER who almost lost her son to a rare "quiet cancer" will raise money to fund research into the illness.

Diane Thomas, of Doyle Gardens, was shocked to discover that her son Tom O'Brien had a malignant neuroendocrine tumour in April 2010 - when he was just 16-years-old.

It is a relatively rare type of cancer, which can be hard to diagnose.

He was treated at St Mark's Hospital in Harrow and was monitored at the Royal Free Hospital in Belsize Park, and Tom, now 18, has made a good recovery.

His progress will continue to be monitored.

On May 26, Ms Thomas will swim one mile in Royal Victoria Dock, east London, as part of the British Gas Great London Swim to raise money for the Royal Free Charity's Quiet Cancer Therapy Appeal.

She hopes to raise at least £2,000.

Ms Thomas said: “Tom was a fit, tall, healthy young man prior to his surgery. He is now well again and hopefully will remain so, but if there is a recurrence I want to know I did something to progress the research into treatment and hopefully prevention for others.

"The money I raise will go towards diagnosis and making treatment more effective. I have a very personal reason for doing it, it’s because of Tom.”

In April 2010 Tom was an active boy attending Queen's Park Community School.

He had dreams of becoming a professional footballer, having trained with Queens Park Rangers football club for three years.

On the night of his father’s birthday party, he began to feel pains in his stomach and was taken to hospital where doctors thought he had appendicitis.

Ms Thomas, who is a nurse, said: “I thought it was strange that we were sitting there for so long. Then we were told that he had a malignant tumour... He had major surgery but luckily he didn’t need to have radiotherapy or chemotherapy.”

Earlier this year, Tom began taking part in a research programme at the Royal Free Hospital, dedicated to discovering what causes the cancer, how it grows and how it could be detected earlier.

He has now returned to school and is due to sit his A-levels later this summer.

- To sponsor Ms Thomas, see www.justgiving.com/Diane-Thomas3