Following a 7-month battle with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), local child Lucas Posey-Bottomley has passed away.

A week before his 10th birthday, on the 5th of May this year, little Lucas of Rutland was an active, friendly and popular young man with his whole life in front of him.

Then, one morning before school, he became ill and began losing his balance. Following several visits to his GP, he was referred to the Leicester Royal Infirmary A&E Department, where an MRI scan confirmed he had Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).

DIPG is a rare form of cancer that, in the main, affects children between the ages of 3 to 9 years. Only 20 to 30 children within the United Kingdom will be diagnosed with DIPG annually. It is a highly aggressive brain tumour located within the brain stem, in an area called the pons, which controls many of the body's vital functions. Symptoms generally develop rapidly prior to diagnosis and treatment is limited initially to steroids and, following this, radiotherapy.

Following this devastating diagnosis, the Rutland community came together to support Lucas and his family, raising over £46,000 for treatment and to assist with Lucas's quality of life.

Local groups, individuals and businesses hosted a range of events, with The Grange Garden centre in Melton Mowbray taking the lead in a great deal of fundraising efforts.

In November 2022, Lucas and his family appeared on BBC's Children in Need. They shared their story and, in a bid to raise money for the charity, told viewers how much Rainbows Children's Hospice East Midlands had supported them throughout Lucas's treatment.

Sadly, Lucas's battle came to an end this weekend, and Nub, alongside the Rutland community, send our condolences to Lucas's family and friends.