Diagnosis and urgent surgery

A 15-year-old from Sunderland is fighting a rare form of cancer, with his family desperately seeking treatment not currently available in the UK. Jude Hazard, from Silksworth, was diagnosed with an aggressive vascular cancer after months of breathlessness that was initially thought to be asthma.

Jude began feeling short of breath while doing everyday activities earlier this year. According to the Evening Chronicle, he first experienced symptoms during a family holiday in April. He visited doctors and the A&E department at Sunderland Royal Hospital multiple times, leading to a cardiothoracic surgeon requesting in-depth scans of his heart.

The Daily Mirror reports that when Jude visited A&E in July, a scan revealed an 8cm tumour on the back of his heart. He was rushed to the Freeman Hospital for an emergency operation that lasted five hours. During the surgery, Jude went into cardiac arrest and flatlined for two minutes, but was revived without side effects.

His father Daniel told the Evening Chronicle: "He went into cardiac arrest on the table and flatlined for two minutes, but they were able to bring him back, and thankfully he suffered no side effects of that. I remember he squeezed my finger and signalled to ask me what time the football was on, it was a World Cup semi-final that day."

Surgeons were unable to remove the tumour completely, with parts remaining in the lining of his left atrium, according to the Daily Mirror.

A rare diagnosis

Jude was diagnosed with Intimal Sarcoma, a rare form of vascular cancer. The Daily Mirror reports that doctors have said the cancer affects only one or two in 100 million people, and those are most usually adults. The Evening Chronicle puts the figure at around 35 cases per 100 million people, all adults, making Jude a medical anomaly.

His cousin Shaun Ward, 36, told the Daily Mirror: "The doctors said they have never seen a case in a child, which shows how rare it is."

Treatment options abroad

The family has been told there are no other treatment options available in the UK to kill the remaining cancer. Treatment is only available in Japan or America, according to both the Evening Chronicle and the Daily Mirror. The family is exploring options in both countries.

Jude's father Daniel said the family was told there was no cure, and Jude did not want chemotherapy or radiotherapy when there was a good chance it would not work, as reported by the Evening Chronicle.

The Daily Mirror reports that if no treatment can be found, Jude may only have a couple of months left to live. The Evening Chronicle says the family was given a timescale of around one to two years. The two reports offer different figures for the prognosis.

Jude himself told the Daily Mirror: "I am feeling okay at the moment. I just want everything to go back to normal so I can continue to just live my life as I used to do. I am currently enjoying my time with friends."

His mother Katie Hazard, 39, described him as a "strong, courageous boy" and "well-liked", adding: "Jude is well-liked and a very sociable kid. He loves nothing more than being out with friends, eating out and loves good food. He attends the gym daily, and is such a bright boy, loving, generous, caring and a thoughtful young man. We are just so grateful to everyone who has supported us through a GoFundMe page."

Community fundraising

Community support has been overwhelming, with over £72,000 raised on one GoFundMe page, according to the Evening Chronicle. The Daily Mirror reports the family is aiming to raise £75,000 for treatment abroad.

Shaun Ward, Jude's cousin, is undertaking a three peaks challenge - climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon in 24 hours on September 5 - and has raised over £6,000, the Evening Chronicle reports.

Ward said the family were "heartbroken" when they were told of the diagnosis, according to the Daily Mirror.