'Comfort of knowing you’re not alone': Family use TikTok to raise awareness of Leeds United-mad son's brain tumour

He’s also like “two peas in a pod” with his older brother Rio.

Kirsty said: “He’s hilarious, he’s happy-go-lucky, and just wants to get involved with everything.”

You wouldn’t assume that over the past 18 months Reggie is a child who has undergone major brain surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, all to treat a brain tumour.

Reggie’s family, who are from Morley, first noticed something wasn’t right in spring last year when he began vomiting regularly, became disoriented when walking, and had extremely fluctuating energy levels.

His parents had a gut feeling that Reggie’s symptoms weren’t normal and after a series of GP and A&E visits, an MRI scan revealed that Reggie had a brain tumour.

Kirsty said: “I knew what it was before he got diagnosed. I just had mother's instinct and I knew it was a brain tumour.

“As parents, we always go to the worst case scenario - you kind of think it's something but then really really hope it's not. When they confirmed it, I was just like ‘I can’t believe we were right’.”

Just two days after his diagnosis, Reggie underwent a 12 hour surgery to remove the tumour which turned out to be medulloblastoma, a cancerous tumour that around 50 children in the UK are diagnosed with each year.

Over the next 11 months, Reggie would go under anaesthetic a total of 61 times for procedures before his family received the euphoric news in May that Reggie was in remission.

He still has aftereffects from his treatment including Posterior Fossa Syndrome which refers to a collection of neurological symptoms that can occur in children after they have had brain surgery including reduced or absent speech and ataxia.

However, though Reggie needs regular scans to check on his health, he lives a life that is largely like any other five-year-old.

He’s particularly a keen Leeds United fan and even was a mascot at an Elland Road match alongside brother Rio.

Throughout his road to recovery, Reggie’s family have documented their experience on the video-streaming platform TikTok.

Their account, @braintumourrecovery, which showcases everyday life in Reggie’s family’s household to raise awareness of brain tumours and their aftereffects, has gained over 25,000 followers and one million likes.

The decision to post videos began when Reggie’s parents chose to fundraise for Ward L52 in Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) where Reggie was looked after during some of his treatment.

Kirsty said: “After we spent so much time at the LGI on Ward L52, we realised that they were massively underfunded.

“So my first TikTok video was about L52 and from there we had an abundance of people wanting to watch his journey.

“It also opened the door to other people in the similar situation I could talk to who knew exactly what we were going through.

“It was a comfort I guess of knowing you're not alone.”

Kirsty hopes her family’s videos help other parents become “armed with knowledge” on the signs and symptoms of a brain tumour so they can get a diagnosis as quickly as possible.

Alongside raising awareness on TikTok, Kirsty and Reggie’s father Daniel Davison have raised a total of £5,000 for the Neuro Ward at LGI and Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity.

This fundraising began when Daniel asked friends and family to offer a donation instead of a birthday present, and continued when the couple walked the Yorkshire Three Peaks alongside LGI nurses.

Their efforts aren’t finished yet and the pair are already planning what challenge they could take on next to raise more money for LGI and Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity.

Kirsty said: “Every year we are going to do bigger and better fundraisers.

“The charities are so close to our hearts and with Ward L52 honestly, we wouldn't have got through the early days without them.”

They’ll also keep using TikTok to celebrate Reggie’s progress and keep raising awareness.

Kirsty said: “If I can help one family, notice symptoms that's like a job done for me.”