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A teenager suffering from an aggressive brain tumour has been taken to Germany for cutting edge treatment after his condition took a dramatic turn for the worse.
Fundraiser Donna Andrews said her nephew Jayden Powell, 17, was driven by ambulance from his home in West Malling to the specialist HallWang clinic after he lost feeling in one side of his body.
Former Aylesford School pupil Jayden had surgery to remove a 4x4cm growth in February 2017, but a campaign to raise £200,000 for specialist treatment was launched after it was found a bigger tumour had returned in December.
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Experts feared the development last week meant Jayden could die within days, but thanks to a last-minute donation of £96,000, mum and dad Hayley and Steve were able to cover costs to start the immunotherapy treatment in Germany.
“They said it was the tumour progressing,” said Donna, 45, from Sundridge Drive, Walderslade.
“The hospice team said he wouldn’t have made the weekend - it was that serious.
“Then Steve got a call from one of his bosses who said they would stump up the deposit - it was £96,000 for the ambulance and deposit.
“He literally just transferred it straight over. He didn’t want any publicity.
“They rang The Hallwang Clinic and they said 'right it's 3pm, we'll get an ambulance to you for 9am'.”
By 9.45am the next morning Jayden and his parents were in an ambulance outside their home in West Malling preparing for the 12 hour journey.
Treatment began on arrival and it was discovered that Jayden’s paralysis was most likely caused by an infection rather than tumour growth.
Antibiotics have already helped bring back feeling to his arm and leg.
And Donna said immunotherapy treatment itself was due to start on Wednesday this week.
“It was absolute relief more than anything,” she added.
“We had a long discussion we said if for any reason this doesn’t work we now know we’ve done all we can.
“We all said our goodbyes when he was in the ambulance.
“We’ve given it absolutely everything - if anyone can cure him this hospice has shown they can.
“He’s got the best fighting chance.”
