13934/1GAZETTE & HERALD: THE parents of three-year-old brain cancer sufferer George Mitchell have reached their £75,000 target to enable their son to travel to the United States for pioneering surgery if required.

George was diagnosed with Pilocytic Astrocytoma, a rare form of brain cancer, in June of last year. Such is the severity of the cancer that surgeons fear he may not make his tenth birthday.

Fraser Mitchell, 37, and his wife Sophie, 30, from Lyneham, could take George to the United States for pioneering surgery if conventional treatment fails now that they have raised the required money.

Brave George is currently undergoing chemotherapy, which his parents and doctors hope will keep the tumour under control and so avoid the need of surgery.

Mr Mitchell, a former RAF navigator, said: "We have now met the financial threshold which is fantastic but thankfully the medical threshold is yet to be crossed. We are not shying from the responsibility but to put a three-year-old on the operating table when he's smiley and happy is not an option.

"We'll make that decision when the time comes but the time is not right. I think it will be very obvious to us when that time presents itself."

The Mitchells have sold their car and cashed in their life savings and pensions in raising the £75,000 as well as receiving tremendous support from all over Wiltshire and Mrs Mitchell's home town of Bromsgrove, near Birmingham.

Mr Mitchell said: "We have been completely stunned by the level of public reaction. We didn't expect it."

Money continues to be donated and the Mitchells are already looking to how they can help other local families.

Mr Mitchell said: "We would like to make contact with other families who are in a similar position. If everyone put back into the pot what they took out then everyone would be winning."

The Mitchells say they would be overjoyed if they could help another family who is going through the ordeal of finding out their child has a tumour.

"Whatever the outcome for George the money will be used wisely and to its maximum effect whether for George or someone else," said Mr Mitchell.

"A lot of people have dug their hands into their pockets and I'm damned if it's not going to be spent saving a life somewhere."

Because of his age there have been a limited number of options in which to treat George's tumour. Radiotherapy was not possible because of the potentially damaging nature of the radiation on the developing brain and surgery risks permanent brain damage.

In April Mr and Mrs Mitchell made the agonising decision to put George through a course of chemotherapy. Before starting the treatment both George and his little brother Harvey, who is nearly two, had their hair cut short in preparation for the inevitable hair loss.

George's treatment has now been reduced from a weekly basis to a monthly one and there are signs of improvement. Recent scans have shown that the tumour has reduced in size and appears to be less active.

Mr Mitchell said: "His tumour is responding in the way it should. It is becoming smaller although we are concerned that these things are never quantified.

"His hair is growing back, and although it only sounds like a little thing, it makes a big difference."

But last week George had to be given anti-allergy drugs after reacting badly to his monthly treatment.

Mr Mitchell said: "Sadly on his chemo in Swindon last week he had a very severe allergic reaction. His whole face swelled up and he looked like he'd gone a few rounds with Tyson.

"The concern is that if his body develops a resistance to the drugs they've chosen then we'll have to switch to another protocol."

For more information about George and the appeal visit www.pledgeforgeorge.co.uk or contact the family on 07950 271067.