IT has been a long year for the Field family.

A year ago their youngest son, Oliver, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma – an aggressive form of cancer – when he was just eight months old.

But having endured constant injections, operations and endless hours in a hospital, the toddler has now completed his treatment.

And, fingers crossed, the Dalton family will find out within three weeks if he is free of the disease.

Oliver’s mum, Laura, is delighted to see her son acting like a normal little boy again.

She said: “We have just given him his last dose of medication which was a very nice feeling.

“It is lovely be able to take him to the playground or see him have fun with other children and join in games.

“He hasn’t been able to do that for a year through fear that he will pick up something as he has been so susceptible to infection.

“We have just returned from a week away at a caravan organised by the charity we have been working with.

“And it was lovely to be able to enjoy our time without worrying about a hospital appointment.

“We are hoping that we will get to enjoy a lot more time like this in the future.

“We took so many pictures of him having fun.

“At the moment, he is really well in himself although he is still not eating and will have a tube in for the next few weeks.”

But, the wait is not completely over for Laura and Oliver’s dad, Paul.

The couple have an anxious three-week wait to find out if Oliver’s treatment has been successful.

Neuroblastoma has a high relapse rate in the first two years and a reduced relapse rate for the first five years.

They have been busy fundraising for the Oliver Field Appeal should their son relapse and need further treatment.

The UK does not provide relapse treatment and he would have to go to Germany or the USA should he need it.

Laura said: “He will have a series of scans over the next three weeks just to check and after that we find out if he is free of everything.

“My husband Paul is preparing himself for the worst just in case, but right now I’m just happy to have him home.

“And we will face that day when it comes.

“We want to keep the fundraising going as a contingency fund just in case it does come back.

“We have already raised around £20,000 and are expecting a further £5,000 to come in

“We are really grateful to everyone who has supported the Oliver Field appeal to date.”

Relapse treatment for the 21-month-old could cost up to £500,000 if needed.

To find out more or donate to the Oliver Field Appeal visit:

www.theoliverfieldappeal.co.uk

It is a malignant (cancerous) tumour that develops from nerve tissue and usually occurs in infants and children.

It can occur in many areas of the body. It develops from the tissues that form the sympathetic nervous system – the part of the nervous system that controls body functions, such as heart rate and blood pressure, digestion, and levels of certain hormones.

Most neuroblastomas begin in the abdomen in the adrenal gland or next to the spinal cord or in the chest. Neuroblastomas can spread to the bones (face, skull, pelvis, shoulders, arms, and legs), bone marrow, liver, lymph nodes, skin, and around the eyes.

The cause of the tumour is unknown. neuroblastoma is most commonly diagnosed in children before age of five. The disorder occurs in approximately one out of 100,000 children and is slightly more common in boys.