A COURAGEOUS little boy battling a very rare cancer has been hailed a hero.

Runcorn tot Harrison Rowbotham, aged three, has aplastic anaemia, but keeps smiling despite extensive tests and transfusions.

His body has stopped producing enough new blood cells, a condition which affects two in a million each year, more often teenagers or the elderly.

His mum, Antonia Gough, aged 27, of Hallwood Park, said: “He has a blood disorder where the bone marrow is damaged and can’t repair itself.

“He needs to have a bone marrow transplant but we have to find a donor.

“He starts chemotherapy next week. They are going to put new stem cells into his body and hope that it starts building up his immune system.

“If it fails, they will do the whole process again.

“Watching his hair fall our and being poked and prodded will be so difficult, but he deals with it so well, he is really brave.”

Single mum Antonia raised the alarm when Harrison became pale and developed bruises.

She said: “Doctors put it down to his pre-school boosters but I knew something was wrong.

“They sent him to hospital straightaway. He had blood transfusions through the night.

“They told me if I hadn’t made such a fuss I would have been organising his funeral not his christening.”

Harrison now has a central line inserted in his chest to adminster drugs.

He is so susceptible to infection, he can’t swim or play sport and has to wait until next September to start school.

Friends are holding a fundraising day to treat Harrison, his seven-year-old brother, Tyler and his mum to a dream trip to Disneyland.

The event is at The Halton Arms in Murdishaw from 12 noon to 8pm on Sunday, November 23.

Organiser and family friend, mum-of-three Trish Bennett, aged 29, from Hallwood Park, said: “We just want to give Harrison and his family something to look forward to.

“Admission is free and there will be sports, tombolas, karaoke and auctions.

“We’re hoping to raise £2,000.”

Former Runcorn air cadet Antonia, who attended The Heath School, said: “I was so surprised. It means a lot to me as it will give us time to be together as a family.

“With Harrison needing all my attention, I sometimes feel I don’t spend enough time with Tyler.

“It’s an absolute nightmare trying to juggle everything. My family is very supportive and all the staff at Alder Hey are amazing. They’re almost like family.

“I’m just hoping we will all be home for Christmas so we can spend it -the three of us together.”