Blackpool couple hoping toddler son Matthew is on the up after on-going cancer struggle

Matthew Savage-Grattan, aged two and a half years, has childhood Rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of.cancer which affects the skeletal muscles and in his case, the prostate area.

The youngster's parents, housewife Zoe Savage, 35, and Mark Grattan, 42, of Park Road, Blackpool, were devastated when they were first given the diagnosis in November last year.

Mark, who has worked at Land Rover in Preston for eight years, said: "Hearing your child has cancer is one of the worst things.

"No one wants to hear that news about any relative, let alone a child.

"We knew something was wrong last summer when he kept getting infections and he looked terrible.

"He didn't eat or drink, he just sort of laid on the floor. He was bloated and when he walked he was like an old man,

"At Blackpool Victoria Hospital, they discovered his kidney function was rock bottom, which came as a big shock."

Matthew was transferred to Royal Manchester where staff diagnosed a blockage and carried out an operation to get a sample for biopsy to confirm what they were dealing with.

It was the worst diagnosis of all - a childhood cancer they had never heard of.

From then on, it was round after round of gruelling treatment.

One of the lowest points came when Matthew needed chemotherapy but his body rejected the treatment and he developed Veno-occlusive Disease, blocked arteries in his liver.

The medical team at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital had to change his treatment.

Another challenge was when Matthew had to have radiotherapy over a period of six consecutive weeks, and they had to stay over in Manchester during that time, in case his condition deteriorated.

Childhood Rhabdomyosarcoma can be fatal but recovery rates have increased by 50 percent since 1975.

In children five years of age or younger survival rates are up to 65 percent.

While this was going on, they still had to look after their baby girl, Isabel, who is 18 months old.

Mark said: "I went off work near the end of last year because there was so much we had to do.

"I had full pay for the first two months, then half pay and then sick pay.

"I'm not getting any pay at the moment so that's hard. I was due back this month but I'm scared of taking the risk.

"Matthew's got no immune system so I'm scared of giving anything to him."

From October 25 to the present, Matthew has had 143 days hospital stays, including day visits.

They still have to travel with Matthew to Manchester every Monday to get extra medication for him, but he's on home maintenance treatment now, with the couple giving him the chemo medication orally.

Mark added: "They are confident things are going in the right direction, as the tumour has shrunk in size, leaving surrounding areas of dead tissue.

"The staff at Manchester have been brilliant, we don't know what we'd have done without them.

"Matthew will always have to be monitored throughout his life. , but at least he is improving."

The couple, who have six children between them, set up a JustGiving page to raise extra funds while Mark's pay was affected and grateful to kind-hearted supporters on the Fylde coast.

Kirkham boxer Bill Hodgson included the family in his fundraising world record tyre flip in June, while Blackpool man Ryan Smith also fundraised for them.

Mark said: "We're really grateful to them."

The fundraising page is: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mark-grattan-1