Routine eye appointment for Sutton Bridge 10-year-old boy at Specsavers leads to brain tumour diagnosis and chemotherapy at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge

A primary school pupil has been diagnosed with a brain tumour following a routine eye appointment.

Jack Naish, 10, who lives in Sutton Bridge, was referred to Peterborough Hospital for a brain scan following an appointment at Specsavers last June as his family feared that he had a lazy eye muscle.

The William Stukeley Primary School pupil has been found to have a mass on his brain and is facing 18 months of treatment at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge - and his family say they are ‘humbled’ by the community support which has helped to build a special room at his home.

His family were almost dealt another blow when thieves tried to break into their home while they were caring for Jack in Cambridge.

Belinda McClements, Jack’s legal guardian, has described Jack as ‘jolly and outgoing’.

She said: “We thought he had a lazy eye muscle but the optician referred him to Peterborough for an eye scan as he thought something was pressing on the optic nerve.

“In August, he was referred for a brain scan - we got a call and knew it was not good news - they had found a mass on the brain and that night he went to Addenbrookes.

“He is not well at the moment due to low salt levels and he is sleeping a lot. It has been a huge shock and our stomachs churn every time doctors take us to a side room and we worry what we are going to be told”.

Jack, who has ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, has faced a gruelling 12 days of operations, scans and biopsies to tackle the slow growing tumour which has got bigger.

He now has a Hickman line inserted near his heart, undergone an emergency shunt and countless general anesthetics, plus brain surgery.

Belinda and her partner Tom moved from Holbeach to Sutton Bridge with her two daughters and Jack and to renovate a house.

They will need a clinical space for Jack on his return from hospital and started a crowd funder for financial help.

But traders such as Spalding painter and decorator Shaun Maddison have stepped in providing free services.

A Mad Hatter’s Tea Party was organised over the weekend by family friend Alison Owen, who runs Harli Quinn Farm Shop in Sutton St James, and raised £1,000 towards the costs.

The family plan to finish the annexe which will provide a sleeping space and a kitchen area for Jack plus more room for nurses who will be regularly visiting him when he leaves hospital.

Belinda said: “It has been very humbling and we want to say a big thank you to everyone for everything they are doing.

“We are raising money to get it done for Jack who now can’t have a shower he has to have a bath.

“It will be a clinical setting and I know it is not going to be plain sailing.”

Belinda and Tom also plan to use any remaining funds to donate to Acorn House where they have been staying while Jack is in Addenbrookes.

She said: “We do want him to come home and thrive more.

“We know it won't be the same for many years.

“After puberty we will find out if the doctors can do another operation.

“But it looks like Jack is going to have to live with it.”

Meanwhile the community is rallying round Jack, who is keen on motorbikes, and his school in Holbeach is keeping in regular contact with the family.

Belinda said: “The headteacher at Jack's school was so surprised that all of this was found through an eye test.

“But Jack is okay and happy despite all of this.

“If we hadn't gone to Specsavers we would never have known.”

For further details visit Jack’s Journey on www.crowdfunder.co.uk

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