Friends and family of a seven-year-old who is to receive proton therapy to fight a brain tumour are hoping to raise £10,000 to support her treatment overseas.

Tia Duncan, from Douglas, is to begin the form of radiotherapy in Germany to remove a rare type of brain tumour which was discovered along with two cysts in January this year.

’What started it off was that she had a seizure out of the blue,’ her father Stuart explained.

’She was very fit and healthy and liked to ride her horses. She was just a happy, bubbly kid.’

Tia was immediately taken by ambulance to Noble’s Hospital, where staff carried out scans and detected that she had two cysts and a tumour.

The Willaston School pupil was flown to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool and following more scans she underwent surgery to have both cysts and 80% of the benign tumour removed. Due to the position of the tumour it was decided that further removal could ’leave her more poorly than she is now’ said Stuart.

However, on September 11 Tia had a check-up scan which showed that another cyst had grown on the tumour.

Speaking to the Manx Independent this week Stuart said: ’She had surgery the other day and had to have blood tests - important ones - as well as MRI scans.

’The cyst was very large this time. They’ve drained it by perforating it.

’This procedure has left her quite unwell, feeling sick, vomitingâ?¦ and the doctors have informed us that we will be going to Germany on October 4.

’Initially we didn’t know whether it was going to be America or Germany, but we are going to The West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE). Thanks to the Isle of Man Government it has been funded, so we are quite lucky there.’

Stuart explained that once Tia is in Germany, she will receive radiotherapy half an hour every day from Monday to Friday over two months.

Before it was confirmed which country Tia would be travelling to, Stuart’s friend and work colleague Michelle McCauley - who works in security at the Villa Marina - set up a Just Giving page to raise funds to help cover the family’s living costs while overseas and help with the fixed costs back home in the island.

So far more than £5,000 has been donated by friends and members of the public.

’I cannot thank these people enough for what they’ve done,’ said Stuart.

’We are truly grateful for their generosity.

’It has been very hard and emotional time for Clair and myself also grandparents, family and friends.

’Tia has a step-brother, James, who has two years left at school. Unfortunately he’s had to stay in the Isle of Man with his mum.’

The family has also received support from Naseem’s Manx Brain Tumour Charity to go towards their time away.

Stuart added: ’I would like to mention my brother Neil Duncan who did a charity cycle ride from Liverpool to Chester and back to Liverpool he raised £1,080 for Rebecca House where Tia attends when we are home, and £1,080 for Alder Hey.’

See https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tiaprotontherapy