Time travel treat for Doctor Who fan battling brain tumour

A brave eight-year-old boy who was diagnosed with a brain tumour is hoping his wish to meet Doctor Who will come true.

Jack Daly, from Mermaid Close in Winnersh, was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour in May last year and is receiving chemotherapy treatment at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading and John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

The youngster came face-to-face with Doctor Who’s time travelling Tardis at the first ever Wishing Party held by children’s charity Starlight in June. He hopes the charity will be able to grant his wish to meet the real Doctor Who, Matt Smith.

Helen Daly, Jack’s mother, said: “Jack was diagnosed last May. It’s been a bit of a nightmare but to be honest he’s coping very well with it all.

“He loves Doctor Who. When he saw the Tardis his eyes lit up.”

Jack, who is a keen singer, is also a fan of musicals and developed a love of ABBA while listening to the Swedish band during previous treatment.

The youngster, who is in Year Three at Bearwood Primary School in Sindlesham, is due to begin his seventh cycle of chemotherapy.

Mrs Daly said: “Bearwood School have been fantastic, they’ve been so supportive.

“We had to travel to Oxford every day for six weeks over the summer holidays for radiotherapy. It has been hard for Jack. He gets very tired, feels sick and has mood changes but things like Starlight really have helped loads.”

Starlight is a children’s charity which grants once-in-a-lifetime wishes for seriously and terminally ill children.

The organisation held their first Wishing Party for more than 500 seriously and terminally ill children at the Artillery Gallery in London.

Mrs Daly said: “The day before the party Jack was supposed to have a blood transfusion and I was so worried he was not going to be able to do a whole day in London but he did.

“He dressed as Peter Pan and fought some pirates and then changed into a wizard costume. It was a really magical experience.

“They really made it special and everybody came out to say goodbye and Jack was given a lucky bag.”

Starlight created 14 different areas of fun for the children who were able to have tea with Alice and the Mad Hatter before journeying through a wardrobe into the snowy lands of Narnia.

Janet Lindsay, head of PR at Starlight, said: “This was a day that no child who went will ever forget. And for their families it will provide very happy memories for them all to share.”