Ex Lancashire footballer living 'every parent's worst nightmare' after son's cancer diagnosis

A former Lancashire footballer tells us it’s so difficult not knowing what the future holds, after his little boy was diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer.

Tommy Spurr played for Blackburn, Preston and Fleetwood. He says the diagnosis for his three-year-old, Rio, is every parent's worst nightmare.

Rio was diagnosed with the very rare form of Liver cancer back in April, he has been having treatment ever since. He's currently on the strongest chemotherapy that the NHS will offer.

Tommy said: "It's just been really difficult to deal with as parents as he is our world. The doctors tell us that they don't know how he will do regardless of this treatment, which is the strongest that the NHS will offer. It's kept us up every night since he got his diagnosis.

"We are just praying and hoping that Rio is one of the lucky ones that does manage to get through this. It's been a horrendous 6 months so far and as his parents we are just trying to give him more of a chance.

"He's a 3-year-old-boy who doesn't deserve to go through this. If we can give him an extra 5 or 10 percent chance of surviving by raising some money to give him to option of further treatment then that would be incredible, it would mean the world to us."

Now he’s fundraising for any future treatment Rio may need with a charity football match in Doncaster tomorrow at the Eco Power Stadium.

Doncaster Rovers say there are a wide range of celebrities who have signed up to play, including former players like Deon Burton and Rob Jones. Celebrities like Tom Zanetti, Dan Osbourne, Dean Gaffney and Tom Turgoose will also be playing.