Harry is our little miracle - we just can't believe it

Harry, four, from Ashton, spent all of the festive season in Alder Hey Children, under-going gruelling treatment for stage four cancer in several parts of his body.

The non-Hodgkin lymphoma was attacking his body so badly that when Harry’s idols, Liverpool FC players came to visit, they were reduced to tears after seeing him lying among a tangle of tubes and machines which were pumping medicine and morphine into his frail body.

In his mum Helen’s words, “I thought we were going to lose him over Christmas.”

To make matters worse, Harry’s cancer had been misdiagnosed three times as growing pains.

Medical staff concluded on three separate occasions that Harry was not seriously ill, despite Helen voicing her concerns over his high temperature and leg pains.

It was only when her motherly instinct kicked, prompting her to take him to Alder Hey for a final opinion, where the heartbreaking diagnosis was confirmed.

Harry was found to be riddled from head to toe with stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma in his skull, his central nervous system, his bones, bone marrow and his fluids.

He would spend all but one day of December in a hospital bed, leaving the youngster heartbroken.

Helen, 31, said: “He was totally aware it was Christmas. He knew he should be meeting Santa and playing out in the snow.

“His mouth was so covered in blisters that he couldn’t even eat chocolate, he couldn’t even smile.

“I thought we were going to lose him over Christmas. I thought the chemotherapy would kill him, not the cancer.

“When he got his first harsh cycle, he was just on death’s door. Then he was having one blood transfusion after another. Everything was going wrong.

“This time last year was horrendous.” But despite the desperate situation, brave Harry successfully battled the cancer, and the gruelling treatment, for seven months.

He was given the all-clear in the summer, and has had a rollercoaster of a year ever since. He was reunited with some of his Liverpool FC heroes when he lead out the Under-23 team.

“It meant the world to us,” said Helen.

“When we found he had tumours last year he was watching Match Of The Day and saying he wanted to switch Liverpool, and it was heartbreaking to think he might not live to see them live.”

Then, Harry was picked by Alder Hey to star in Matalan’s Christmas advert campaign.

“He even had his own Mercedes car to take him to and from photo shoots.

Helen said: “It was amazing to give back to Alder Hey after they saved his life.”

Helen and Damon have now been making sure Harry’s Christmas in no way resembles the ordeal we went through last year.

Trips to London and Edinburgh have already been enjoyed, as well as an exciting journey to Lapland to meet Father Christmas himself.

Helen said: “He is cuter and funnier than last year.

“Sometimes you have to pinch yourself and think about what you’ve been through. He is totally back to normal.

“He is theatrical and loves dancing. He has been given a new lease of life. He still goes to Alder Hey every couple of months for his MRI, but he stays still, doesn’t fuss.

“Everyday he just amazes me.”