A courageous young boy who has survived seven brain operations has been told by doctors his cancerous tumour is back again.
Nine-year-old Matthias Plewka from Feltham , who was first diagnosed with cancer at the age of three, needs your help in his ongoing fight to remove the vicious tumour.
His parents, Joanna and Tomasz see no point in putting him through another operation and despite doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) informing them there is nothing that can be done they have found another treatment known as immunotherapy but it is only available in Germany.
The family from Parkfield Road in Feltham need your help to raise at least £50,000 so their son can try the new and non-surgical method to fight the brain tumour.
On the gofundme page 'Help to save Matthias's life', Matthias says: "I’ve been fighting for my life since I was 3 years old and I’ve already had 7 operations on my head that were really painful.
"I hope that one day I won’t be in pain or visit the hospital anymore.
"Please read my story and you will understand why I beg you to help me so I can get my vaccination."
In June everything came crashing down when the family were told by doctors at GOSH that Matthias might not survive.
Mrs Plewka told getwestlondon : “GOSH said it is a stage four tumour and they cannot do anything about it.
“They said to spend what time Matthias has left with him.
“He was transferred to GOSH in June for life-saving surgery and they said he wouldn't survive but he did and we were so happy.
“But unfortunately they could not remove the tumour fully.
“He has since had a shunt to drain a cyst in July and a second shunt a couple weeks ago.
“In the meantime I was searching for what else could be done as I am not going to give up on him.
“We found a doctor of immunotherapy in Germany again...for us it is hope.”
The Plewka's were devastated to find out their son had an incurable brain tumour, and in 2010 an operation removed part of the tumour followed by two rounds of chemotherapy which was completed in 2012.
Sadly a later MRI scan showed the tumour had grown, and in the time after that Matthias had a large cyst removed too.
Doctors at GOSH recommended radiotherapy treatment which could give the brave young boy an extra three months to live but an alternative option for Proton Beam Therapy treatment was denied.
In 2013, refusing to give up the family took their fight abroad to Germany and found a doctor who agreed to carry out brain surgery and remove the growing tumour which was done in July 2014.
He returned home in August having beaten the cancer as initial scans showed but sadly it has returned and continues to grow meaning his life is still in danger.
A message on the Help Matthias website reads: “As the immunotherapy is not sponsored by NHS we need to ask YOU for help.
“We know that we asked for your help in the past. Thanks to your help our son is still alive!!!
“However, we have to ask you for help again. Please help us raise money for Matthias.
“We can not give up this fight and must do everything that we can to save our son’s life.”
The family are due to fly to Germany for a consultation on September 6 with doctors in Germany and have high hopes he will be able to start the new treatment.
Donate online at gofundme - Help to save Matthias's life
