Courageous Jacob urges North East to give up clothes for life-saving research

A courageous youngster is urging those in the North East to give up their spare clothes for some life-changing research.

Jacob Tulley, 5, was treated for a tumour in his right eye when he was just 10 months old, with the youngster successfully treated for retinoblastoma.

This September, Jacob, from South Shields, is urging people across the region to clear out their wardrobes and help out young people like him survive cancer.

Jacob is backing TK Maxx’s Give Up Clothes for Good campaign in support of Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People.

His mum, Danielle, became concerned for the youngster when she noticed his eyes looked red in a camera flash, while others appeared to be white.

She said: “Jacob’s dad Googled it and straight away it came up with retinoblastoma. I thought I know it was that, I could just feel it. The next morning, I got up, having had the worst sleep of my life and rang the doctor.”

The youngster was quickly diagnosed and started his treatment immediately.

Six months of chemotherapy as well as laser therapy and cryotherapy at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and a specialist centre in Birmingham were all part of Jacob’s treatment.

Jacob also narrowly avoided having his eye removed, his mum Danielle said.

Nearly three years on from his diagnosis, Danielle says Jacob is doing well and his tumour is stable, with his vision affected but manageable when his head is at an angle.

Danielle is hoping that Jacob, a huge Newcastle United fan, will be discharged from Birmingham back to Sunderland for future check-ups.

She said: “Now it’s like a miracle, if you look at him, you would never have known he’s had anything wrong.

“He was so amazing through it all, he kept our hopes high and was never fazed by what he went through. He is our light in a dark place - he got knocked down, but he got up again. He is the most special, precious and amazing young boy that I’ve ever known. To the world he may just be one person but to me, he is the world.

“Obviously when we got the diagnosis, it was the absolute worst day of my life. I almost kind of blacked out through it all. It was like my brain has completely chosen to forget the things that happened that day.

“I was with my mam and without her there I wouldn’t have coped. She was taking in all of the information that we were given and she kept my family up to date as I wasn’t in the frame of mind to speak.

“It’s thanks to research that Jacob is here today. That’s why raising money for Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People is so vital.

“Jacob and I will be having a good clear out at home to find clothes and things to donate and we hope our experience will inspire others across the North East to do the same. Their unwanted items really could save lives.”