Heaven gets a little star...

LITTLE Joe Slater who has lost his brave battle with cancer

ONE of Oldham’s “little stars” has lost a four-year fight against cancer,

Seven-year-old Joe Slater, who was battling a very rare and aggressive type of brain tumour, has died two years after he was honoured for his courage by Cancer Research UK.

The youngster lived with his parents Yvonne and Paul, brother Eddie, (21/2) and 20-weeks-old sister Evie, in York Road, Chadderton.

His mother paid tribute to the little boy who took everything his illness threw at him in his stride.

“He was so courageous, and he never moaned or complained.

“He was very loving and very giving, and we are so proud of him,” she said.

Doctors discovered Joe had an atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour four years ago after he had been unwell for several weeks.

The plucky youngster underwent two operations to remove the tumour, and had chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

But he developed another tumour, and in November last year had a bleed on his brain, and then cancer cells spread to other parts of his body.

He was unable to go back to school at Mills Hill Primary School, and his family took him to Derian House Children’s Hospice in Chorley to swim in its hydropool to help him strengthen his muscles.

The youngster’s plight touched hearts across Oldham, and one of his dreams came true when David Bowden, from Patterson and Rothwell toolmakers and injection moulders heard he wanted a pirate bed and managed to track one down.

And two years ago he was named as a Little Star by Cancer Research UK for his bravery.

His mother also paid tribute to the people who helped care for her son, including Dr Eddy Eselin from Manchester Children’s Hospital, Dr Rao, consultant radiologist at the Christie Hospital, and outreach nurse, Pauline Sutherland. She said: “Dr Eselin and Dr Rao both said they learned a lot from Joe on how to treat children with rare brain tumours.”

Joe died in Derian House, and his family have asked for donations to the hospice in his memory.

The funeral service and committal will take place on Wednesday at Oldham Crematorium at noon, and anyone who attends is asked to wear bright colours in honour of Joe’s life.