A MOTHER who tragically lost her baby son to a rare form of cancer is raising money for the 'amazing' children's hospice who cared for him before he died.

Andrea Mortimer, of Penrith, has organised a skydive with two of her children to raise money for the the Jigsaw Hospice in Carlisle after they helped to care for her late son, Jacob.

Ms Mortimer said: "It is a charity very close to my family's heart as they are an amazing team who cared for us during a very difficult time."

She shared her story on a GoFundMe page, which has been set up with the aim of raising £2,000 from the sponsored sky dive.

Andrea explained that her baby son had become very sick in January 2021 and after taking him to the doctors he was referred for assessments at The Cumberland Infirmary. 

"Me and Jacob stayed in overnight and he had a ultrasound scan the next morning. The results showed a blockage and fluid was building up. We had to wait for a available bed in the RVI in Newcastle."

A while later, Jacob suffered from a fit and was called in by doctors to complete an operation which would release the pressure on his brain.

After going to the RVI Hospital in Newcastle, in February 2021, it was discovered that Jacob was suffering from a rare, aggressive, form of cancer of the central nervous system -  an atypical teretoid rhabdoid tumor, or ATRT.

This left the family with a terrible decision.

"We had three choices," she said.

READ MORE: Jigsaw to use Childrens Hospice Week 2022 to thank supporters

"An operation to remove as much of the tumor as possible and treat it with intense chemotherapy, which had a 10 per cent chance of curing him. But there was the risk of losing him during the operation.

"We could also try palliative chemotherapy or take Jacob home and let nature take its course."

Andrea and her husband chose the operation. Jacob underwent the procedure on February 10 and a week later started chemotherapy. 

Over the next month of receiving chemotherapy, Jacob continued to get sick and had to have another operation to insert a shunt, which would drain fluid. 

"On May 28, after he finished all his chemotherapy and spending weeks in and out of hospital we got the devastating news that the cancer was growing back and there was nothing more the RVI could do for our beautiful little boy."

Andrea and her family were told Jacob was expected to live another few months.

"We had to make memories while we could," she said.

After further complications with Jacob's shunt surgery, Andrea asked if they could take him to Jigsaw Children's Hospice, the only children's hospice in Cumbria. 

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Jacob and the family arrived there on June 7 and he was provided with his own room and cot. The staff at the hospice helped to care for Jacob, Andrea and the rest of the family.

Ms Mortimer added: "On August 28, Jacob passed away with me and his daddy beside him."

She detailed the care and attention the hospice showed to the family amid their heartbreaking situation and added: "The hospice will always have a very special place in mine and my family's heart.

"They are all amazing."

Read more and donate at the GoFundMe page Jump for Jacob.