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Home / New Zealand

Kiwi mum's son cleared of cancer

Patrice Dougan
By Patrice Dougan
Assistant Chief of Staff·APNZ·
23 Dec, 2013 03:23 AM2 mins to read

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Sally Roberts and her son Neon. Photo / Facebook

Sally Roberts and her son Neon. Photo / Facebook

The all-clear has reportedly been given to a young boy whose New Zealand-born mother fought against life-saving cancer treatment for him in Britain.

Neon Roberts, 8, was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year and after initial surgery to remove it, his mother, Sally, tried to prevent the treatment continuing. She went on the run with the boy, evading authorities for four days, believing that radiotherapy would "fry his brain''.

The fight was taken to the High Court in Britain, where a judge ruled Neon should be treated with conventional therapy and live with his father, Ben, at his London home.

The family has now been told Neon is in remission, the Daily Mail reported.

"We are delighted to be able to share our family's joy that all Neon's scans, including one last week, have shown no sign of the cancer returning,'' Mr Roberts told the newspaper.

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"The treatment so far has been successful and on Monday the doctors told us that while Neon will continue to need to be monitored, this radio and chemotherapy phase is over. We couldn't have wished for a better Christmas present.''

He praised the doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital as "exceptional'', and said his son had fought bravely against the life-threatening disease.

The family had also been touched by the large number of support messages they had received, he said.

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Neon's aunt, Lucy Roberts, also told the paper they were "delighted'' by his scan coming back clear.

"Everyone is so happy. We want people to know Neon's happy and he's doing really well,'' she said. "I saw him and he was bouncing around.''

The boy's Kiwi mum declined to comment, the Daily Mail said.

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