STAFF and pupils at Settle Primary School are celebrating the return to the classroom of nine-year-old Tyler Dunn after he went through gruelling brain cancer treatment.

The youngster was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma in February 2020 and his treatment has lasted over a year.

Tyler’s condition has spurred his classmates into fundraising to help find a cure for brain tumours and are supporting the national charity Brain Tumour Research, by holding a Wear A Hat Day event for everyone.

Tyler’s dad Wayne, 29, said it had been a traumatic journey for the whole family.

He said: “At the beginning of January 2020, Tyler was complaining of bad headaches. He was just getting over the flu, so his mum Simone and I assumed that they were related to the virus but we decided to take him to the GP to get him checked.

“The doctor agreed that they were likely to be a symptom of flu, and we were sent away.

“Three days or so later, Tyler’s headaches had become so bad, that they were making him sick. He was throwing up, holding his head and screaming in pain. He was rushed to Airedale General Hospital in Keighley.

“Eventually, he was admitted overnight and scanned the next morning.”

After a CT scan found a “lump” in Tyler’s brain, he was blue-lighted to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI), where a more detailed MRI scan found a large tumour on his brain stem.

The good news was that it didn’t appear to have spread and it could be operated on within days.”

On February 12, 2020, Tyler had a 13-hour operation, during which the surgeon managed to remove most of the tumour.

Tyler’s mum Simone, 27, said: “It wasn’t until we said goodbye to Tyler and watched him being wheeled into theatre, that we realised the enormity of the situation. It was horrendous; there was nothing we could do but pace the corridors and wait.

“Throughout everything, though, we have been determined to stay positive for Tyler and for our other two children, Liam, who is five and Ellie, who is just three.

“They are too young to understand what is happening to their big brother.”

Day by day following surgery the brave schoolboy began to recover but not without more hurdles to overcome along the way including sepsis and a 10-week course of proton beam radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy.

Tyler’s class teacher Samantha Ambrose, 31, said: “I’ve taught Tyler since he was in year 4 and we were all devastated when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

“I think the only silver lining for Tyler was that he was delighted to be having treatment near to the ground of his beloved Manchester United – he’s a massive fan! I know it was difficult for the family, though, as it’s a three-hour round trip to Manchester and back. Tyler’s two younger siblings also attend the school. It’s been really tough for the whole family.”

Samantha added: “Tyler was so brave throughout his treatment. We were really happy to be able to welcome him back into school for short periods in the autumn term. By this stage, the treatment had caused him to lose his hair. He had also lost a lot of weight and had to use a wheelchair. Family support nurses from the hospital supported his reintegration and also spoke to the other children about brain tumours and cancer.

“They shared books with them and helped them to understand what Tyler was going through. It was really appreciated, as Tyler’s diagnosis had come as such a shock to our tight-knit school community.

“We’ve never done Wear A Hat Day at the school before but after all Tyler and his family have been through, we wanted to show our support.

“The day falls at the end of term and promises to be really fun for everyone involved. We’re also holding a quiz and a raffle and have set up a JustGiving page, where parents can make contactless donations to this fantastic cause.””

On March 3 this year Tyler finished his chemotherapy and was finally able to ring the end of treatment bell, more than a year after the family’s ordeal began.

Wayne added: “It’s such a relief to see Tyler finish his chemo. He’s been so strong and brave throughout – he’s our warrior.

“It’s been an incredibly challenging year and it’s not over yet as Tyler will continue to be monitored with regular scans.”

The school’s Wear A Hat Day involves a non-uniform day for the children who will be asked to wear their favourite hat. There will be Mad Hatter tea parties and the Easter Bunny will call too.

To donate to the fundraiser go to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-wright42

The Wear A Hat Day for Brain Tumour Research is now in its 12th year.