Telford father tells of brave son's ordeal with cancer
The family of a Telford schoolboy battling cancer have today told how their family holiday was cut short when he was diagnosed with the disease.
Matthew Cooper was enjoying a holiday in Devon with his father Leigh and mother Sue when he started struggling to walk.
The brave 11-year-old had already gone for a number of tests as doctors thought he had something wrong with his stomach. However, while on holiday in August, Matthew's condition became worse, which caused the family from Trench, Telford, to cut their two-week holiday short.
The family came home and Matthew was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital. But days later he was transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital, where he has been ever since.
Mr Cooper, 50, said it has been a tough few months for the family, but that Matthew is now in good spirits and wants to return home.
A campaign to raise money to adapt the family home so he can return has now raised more than £7,500.
The foundry operations worker said: "When we were on holiday and Matt's condition became worse, we decided to return home. He was struggling to walk and was suffering with sickness.
"We wanted him to see his own doctor and we wanted to get him to the best place if he needed any form of treatment."
Now the Wrockwardine Wood Junior School pupil, who has brain and spinal cancer, has been paralysed since suffering strokes due to blood pressure issues after surgery to remove tumours. He has also undergone radiotherapy, beginning his second round of the treatment on Monday.
Mr Cooper said the borough council had been to visit the family home on Tuesday, where they discussed plans about adapting their house.
Mr Cooper said the plans were still in the early stages but they are working with the council to see what can be done.
The 50-year-old said: "The meeting with the council went well, but we still have a few more options to look at.
"One of the ideas was turning the dining room into Matt's bedroom, but that's where we sit and eat as a family.
"We don't want to sound ungrateful but keeping the dining room keeps a bit of normality for us.
"Another idea was turning part of the living room into Matt's bedroom.
"It would be a huge change for us as it would mean turning part of one of the rooms into a wash room for him."
He added: "We would also need to have a hoist built, which would allow us to get Matt in and out of bed.
"All of the electrical sockets would need moving around so that the equipment could be powered.
"So as you can tell it's not a quick job, it's taking quite a lot of planning.
"We hope to have Matt home in May, but it all depends on what the doctors at Birmingham Children's Hospital say.
"If not May then it could be as late as November."
To help make the home renovations possible Matthew's school, Wrockwardine Wood Junior School, has set up the Bring Matt Home Fund.
So far the fund has raised more than £7,500.
Mr Cooper added: "We had no idea about the fund that was set up. It's absolutely amazing to see how everyone has pulled together to help us.
"Many of the people who are donating are complete strangers to us.
"I know thank you doesn't even begin to cover it, but thank you so much to everyone for their support.
"I means the world to us."
The page was set up by Gary Spragg, who is the assistant headteacher at Matthew's school.
Mr Cooper added: "Matt started his second round of radiotherapy this week, which seemed to go well.
"He struggles to communicate with us, but he uses his thumb and fingers to tell us how he is feeling.
"It would be lovely to have him home as my wife Sue and I have hardly been home since he was admitted to hospital in August.
"I even sold my car as it was just sitting at the hospital and the parking charges were going up.
"Because I barely come home, I just get the train to and from Birmingham."
Despite being so far away, a number of Matthew's friends have been to visit him in hospital, which has helped keep his spirits up.
"He wasn't into football much," Mr Cooper said.
"He enjoyed playing his video games with his friends.
"He's a very sociable little boy, and he would always be at friends' playing Minecraft or they would be at ours."
While Mathew has been in hospital both Leigh's and Sue's employers have been supportive and understanding, which the couple said is a huge help.
Mrs Cooper works for the Fiat dealership in Trench, while Mr Cooper works for construction firm Saint-Gobain.
Mr Cooper added: "At the hospital you hear some horror stories about some of the parent's employers not helping them.
"But Sue and I cannot fault our places of work as they have really helped.
"We are both currently full-time but we don't know when we will return."
To donate to the Bring Matt Home Fund, visit www.gofundme.com and search for Bring Matt home fund.
