Boy a “little star”, says mum

Jac Coffey the day after his 17.5 hour operation: Submitted (Image: Archant)

Jac Coffey was diagnosed with cancer in March 2015 and underwent the operation at Addenbrooke's last December.

His mother Kayleigh Coffey, 27, said: 'Jac is my little star because of everything he's been through – it's a lot to take on but he doesn't whinge, he just gets on with it. We're really proud of him.'

The youngster was referred to the hospital with suspected neck muscle spasms, but tests soon revealed it was far more serious.

Mrs Coffey, from Gaywood in King's Lynn, said: 'They said the tumour was one of the biggest they had seen. If they were lucky they hoped to remove 75pc of it during the first operation but they managed to get 95pc.

'We were warned he might not be the same little boy after the operation but we didn't care, we just wanted him back.

'When we got him home he wriggled himself out of our arms and tried to walk to his toybox. We had tears in our eyes seeing him doing that, we had to help him at first but within four weeks he was walking on his own.'

Mrs Coffey was pregnant suring her son's ordeal, and added: 'I asked them to induce me a week early because my due date was the same as Jac's chemo and there was no way he was going through that without me by his side.'

Jac has completed a course of radiotherapy and is now waiting for an MRI scan in May.

Mrs Coffey and husband Jay, 33, a self-employed PA, nominated Jac for the Cancer Research UK's Kids & Teens Star Award, whose Norfolk spokesman Danielle Glavin said: 'Cancer has a devastating impact on children, forcing them to show an incredible bravery beyond their years, so it is a privilege to be able to recognise the courage of youngsters like Jac.'

visit cruk.org/kidsandteens

Has your child received an award for bravery? Email david.bale2@archant.co.uk