Facing unimaginable heartache, these North Shields parents are fighting to help their son make all the precious memories he can.
In May last year, doctors gave Aaron Todd and Gemma O’Connell the devastating news that their beloved son Dylan, then five, had leukaemia.
And despite valiant efforts to fight the disease, they've now learned that the cancer lurking in the six-year-old's body is incurable.
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Aaron and Gemma took Dylan to A&E on May 11 when they spotted a rash on his body that didn’t disappear under a glass. They feared it might be meningitis, but on May 18, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
The disease was so aggressive that Dylan had to immediately start intensive chemotherapy, alongside blood and platelet transfusions.
Treatment left him feeling sick and rapidly losing weight, and forced to spend long periods in hospital.
But things began to look up in September, when Dylan's little sister, Riley, then just one, donated 85% of her bone marrow for a transplant for her beloved big brother. After the transplant, Dylan started to show encouraging signs of recovery.
But just before Christmas, the family were told the disease had come back, and there was no longer hope for a cure. While chemotherapy and other treatments may buy the youngster more time, his family is raising money to give him as much joy as possible and make all the special memories with him that they can.
Mum Gemma, 30, said: "Dylan has his good and bad days so far we have had lots of good days and stayed home for a while as he is staying stable.
"Basically we just want to make as many of his dreams come true as possible. He loves gaming so I've sent messages to lots of the gamers on YouTube that he likes and some have sent him videos, so he's been full of smiles since I showed him those.
"Gaming is life for Dylan, he loves Roblox and Fortnite and wants to become a YouTuber, so we plan on using the money donated to decorate his bedroom in a gaming theme, and for the whole family to get away on a nice caravan break."
Family holidays are especially precious as they allow Dylan to enjoy more time with his adored baby sister Riley, now two.
"They have an amazing bond together, it's so lovely," Gemma said.
The family recently enjoyed a trip away together thanks to local charity Jessica's Sarcoma Awareness, staying at April Cottage in Henshaw, Northumberland.
Gemma said: "We can't take him far away from the hospital but it was great to go away together - Jessica's Sarcoma awareness were amazing, because they know what families like us are going through because they've been through it themselves, so it was so lovely."
Donations to 'Dylan's Dream Fund' can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/8zjcd-dylans-dream-fund
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