A LITTLE boy who never stops smiling is helping his family cope with his cancer treatment.
Keaton McSweeney, two, still loves to laugh and play despite undergoing an operation and chemotherapy for a brain tumour.
The plucky tot, whose family live on Dunbarton Drive in Darnhill, recently began an 18-month course of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with the tumour in February this year.
His mum Sharon Brotherdale said: "At the moment you wouldn’t know Keaton was ill because he is always smiling and laughing.
"That really keeps everyone else going.
"Even the doctors have said how well he is doing at the moment."
Keaton will spend a few days each week at the new Manchester Children’s Hospital undergoing chemotherapy before recuperating at home with his family.
Along with dad Ian McSweeney, his older siblings Ricky, Rebecca, Shoni and Ryan, Keaton’s twin brother Lennon has also been helping look after Keaton.
"Lennon comes every evening to visit Keaton and they run riot on the ward." said Sharon.
"Keaton is copying everything Lennon does and I think that is helping him with his walking."
Doctors diagnosed Keaton with a brain tumour after he began vomiting and losing his balance just before Christmas last year.
After an operation earlier this year to remove 70 per cent of the tumour, doctors hope the chemotherapy will shrink the rest so it can be removed.
Watching their little boy being treated first at Pendlebury Hospital and then Manchester Children’s Hospital gave the family the idea to organise a fundraising event.
"We just wanted to give something back to the hospital" said Sharon.
"For children like Keaton, who are in there for weeks at a time, toys are really important.
"Because the Children’s Hospital is brand new they will be starting afresh and will need new toys."
As well as money raised through the football fun day, Keaton’s family hope to raise more money by auctioning a valuable football shirt on auction website Ebay.
A framed Newcastle United shirt signed by the first team is expected to raise extra funds when it is sold online in the coming weeks.
A football fun day was held on Saturday June 20 to raise money for Manchester Children’s Hospital where two-year-old Keaton receives treatment for a brain tumour.
Adult and children’s teams battled it out in football tournaments, with a bouncy castle, bbq and face painting also on offer.
A raffle with over £1,000 worth of prizes, including a tumble dryer and MP4 player, was also held.
Heywood businesses, including Crawford’s Appliances and Harry Yearsley’s, donated prizes and food for the event.
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