Jude Mellon-Jameson: Devastated family reveal Sheffield boy battling cancer 'receiving end of life care'

The family of a five-year-old Sheffield boy who has battled cancer for two years have announced he is receiving end of life care.

Jude Mellon-Jameson had been fighting neuroblastoma since he was diagnosed in July 2021, with a campaign having been run to arrange for him to undergo pioneering treatment in America.

But today his parents, Arron, a former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper, and Lucy, from Woodhouse Mill, broke the sad news he was now receiving end of life care.

They said this morning: "Jude is receiving end of life care in hospital.

"The MRI he had on Tuesday showed his disease has progressed very rapidly since the scan on Friday. He’s lost the ability to talk and much of his movement. He had a seizure which required a crash call on Tuesday evening.

"The one medication he’s having now is to keep those under control (so far it’s worked). He’s very calm, relaxed and has no pain. He’s sleeping a lot but when he’s awake he’s able to focus, he’s looking for who is talking, he’s fiddling with toys with one hand. He’s been surrounded by family and totally submerged in love since Tuesday evening.

"Please keep going with spreading awareness of childhood cancer, donating blood, platelets, join the stem cell register, donate to the charities that are really trying to make a difference for children. They deserve better. Jude deserved better. All donations sent to us will be used to give him the goodbye he truly deserves and will be sent to charities who’ve made a difference to us after. linktr.ee/ForJude"

The sad news comes after Jude was taken ill at school on Friday last week.

After just two hours at school on Friday he was sent to hospital after he became unsteady on his feet and his speech became slurred.

Jude's battle with his illness started when he was diagnosed in July 2021 with high risk neuroblastoma. He underwent treatment but his family received the shattering news last autumn that his cancer had returned.

Since he was diagnosed, he has spent two years undergoing treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery of his primary tumour and a stem cell transplant His family have told how the inspirational youngster has faced almost everything the disease has thrown at him with a smile.