A North East woman is walking tens of thousands of steps each day to raise money and awareness for her great-grandson's brain condition.

Penny Sinclair, 66, from Ingleby Barwick in Stockton-on-Tees, is undertaking a 10,000-step a day challenge this February to raise money and awareness for charity, Brain Tumour Research, after her great-grandson was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Ms Sinclair's youngest great-grandson, Parker Stott, was diagnosed with an astrocytoma at 2-years-old back in 2022.

She said she was horrified to learn of Parker's disease, and despite struggling to walk after three knee replacements, felt she needed to undertake the challenge to raise money to find a cure for the disease.

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She said: “It was just horrific knowing Parker had a brain tumour. Nobody, especially a little baby, should have to go through this.

“When I was a bit younger I was fanatical about fitness, but I had three knee replacements and I was in a car crash.

"Sometimes I can’t walk at all so I will be doing some of this on a treadmill and in a swimming pool.

"This is a really big challenge for me, but I want to do my bit to help raise vital money to help find a cure.”

Parker was initially diagnosed with the disease after suffering from stomach problems and having difficulty going to the toilet.

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After becoming weak and lethargic, he was taken to University Hospital of North Tees where an MRI scan revealed Parker had a brain tumour.

Ms Sinclair said on New Year's Day her great-grandson had been feeling incredibly ill and not himself, having to be carried everywhere.

She said: “Soon after, he was constantly vomiting, and he had a high temperature,” added Penny.

“He was losing weight; he only weighed 10kg and his clothes were hanging off him.”

After the scan revealed the tumour, he was taken to the Great North Children’s Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle where surgeons managed to remove most of it.

“This brain tumour just hits you from out of nowhere. It’s such a horrific thing for my great-grandson to live with," Ms Sinclair added.

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"To see this baby boy going through this is absolutely devastating. Parker now has a check-up MRI scan every three months.

"It’s such a nerve-wracking time and I always hope that the tumour hasn’t spread.”

Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research said: “We’re so sorry to learn about Parker’s diagnosis, particularly at such a young age.

"We’re really grateful to Penny for taking on the 10,000 Steps a Day in February challenge as it’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Parker who are forced to fight this awful disease.”