Brave Brendon's long battle at an end

Brendon Thompson-Garland has lost his five-year battle with a brain tumour.

Brendon passed away peacefully with his whanau present at Wanganui Hospital on Thursday afternoon.

Brendon, 11, had fought a brain tumour since 2007 and, in the following years, received chemotherapy, radiation treatment and drugs that arrested the spread of the cancer to the point of remission.

He featured on the Chronicle's pages as he ticked off activities on a checklist, with many businesses and the wider community rallying to help.

This year, Brendon was too ill to attend more than a half-day of school, so his classmates and teachers at Wanganui East were jubilant when he paid them a visit last month.

Sarah Lourie, Brendon's teacher last year, said he was an awesome kid and an inspiration.

Brendon is lying at his grandparents' home until his funeral on Monday.