A baby boy born with a "odd shaped head" will need to have his skull removed to ease pressure building up on his brain.
Lucas Carter, 11 months, was diagnosed with craniosynostosis, birth defect which causes the bones of the skull to fuse too early, in September 2022, and is now awaiting major surgery at Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
His mum Emma Brazier, 27, said: "When Lucas was born his head was quite an odd shape, quite long and narrow. His length and weight were in the 50th percentile, but his head was in the 99th percentile, so we were referred to a paediatric consultant at Barnsley Hospital.
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"He then had an X-ray and CT scan which confirmed the diagnosis."
Lucas, who lives in Barnsley with his mum and dad Jordan Carter, 29, was originally going to be treated at Sheffield Hospital, but after looking into their options, Emma and Jordan asked to be referred to Alder Hey instead.
Emma said: "He'll have his first surgery when he's 18 months old. He'll have a total cranium re-modelling, which includes the removal of his skull to turn it into a more normal shape.
"The shape of his head right now means his brain can only grow forwards and backwards. This surgery can fix that. If he was not to have this surgery, he'd be at risk of pressure building up in his head, which could lead to seizures and pressure behind the eyes.
"It's extremely usetting to think about it still, because I'm aware it's such a major surgery. It includes him being cut from ear to ear, his scalp being pulled back and skull removed. It's very close to the brain. But we're aware, from what the doctors at Alder hey have told us, that the risks of something going wrong are very low."
To say thank you to the doctors at Alder Hey for their dedication and support, Emma has set up an online fundraiser in aid of the hospital.
She said: "From the first appointment we had, we were so mindblown by Alder hey. It's a very beautiful place, and we were on edge and anxious about going in, but once we walked in we were put at ease. The support they have for children is phenomenal.
"Next year will be a difficult year in our lives and in Lucas' life, so we wanted to try and make something good of it. By doing this for Alder Hey, we've got more people talking about it."
She added: "Lucas has had no development issues. He smiles all the time, he eats well, he interacts with other babies, he's very nearly walking. Apart from the shape of his head, he's a normal, happy baby.
"Once Lucas has had this surgery, he can go on to live a full, normal life. There are no restrictions, he'll be able to play rugby and football if he wants to. As long as he's happy and healthy that's all that matters to me."
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