Heartbroken mum describes little boy Tay Kurtul as a “joyful soul” after he died at the age of six

A heartbroken mum has described her little boy as a “joyful soul” after he died of a brain tumour. Laura has opened up about losing her six-year-old son, Tay Kurtul, who began complaining about blurry vision and tiredness before receiving the devastating cancer diagnosis.

His parents initially put Tay’s exhaustion down to a busy school schedule and after an optician’s appointment, were told everything was fine. However, other symptoms began to develop, including tummy aches and heightened emotions.

Laura, 38, from Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, said: "On Friday 12 May 2023, I picked Tay up from school and on the way home he said 'mummy, sometimes when I look at things they go blurry'.

"Then, on 22 May, during football training, Tay ran over to me and said he had a headache, which was surprising as he’d never complained of one before. I told him to sit and have a rest and a drink. Five minutes later, Tay was off to join in with the team again.

"But since that first headache, as the days went on, Tay started to show more concerning symptoms like waking up some mornings feeling sick and having a tummy ache. He could also be quite emotional and felt tired even after a full night’s sleep. He just wasn’t himself.

"I started to question whether he was taking on too much with all his after school clubs, play dates etc. Maybe he was just exhausted and needed a break from all his activities?”

Laura, a self-employed laser specialist, said when Tay began to feel unsteady on his feet she took him to the GP. A CT scan revealed a mass on his brain and an MRI showed it was a medulloblastoma - a cancerous brain tumour - in May 2023.

"My husband, Toygun, and I were told the unimaginable - every parent's worst nightmare - that they had found a mass in Tay's brain,” Laura said. "I remember not being able to feel my legs when we were told the heart-shattering news and the paediatrician’s voice seemed so far away.

"It felt as though it was just me in the room and I was screaming inside, but totally numb on the outside, although shaking with fear. It was a moment which will haunt me forever."

Tay underwent a seven-hour operation to remove 99% of the tumour but following the operation he suffered from posterior fossa syndrome (PFS) - a collection of neurological symptoms that can occur from surgery of this nature. Tay was unable to sit up, walk or eat and he had visual problems and lost the ability to speak.

After radiotherapy and chemotherapy failed to stop the progression of the tumour, Laura and Toygun decided to stop treatment and Tay passed away on February 9, 2024.

Laura said: "After an impossible decision as parents, we decided to stop all chemotherapy after Christmas 2023 as the toxicity going directly into his brain was making Tay so poorly, resulting in early stages of dementia. We all knew the progression was taking over and it was no longer fair on Tay to keep fighting. His little body had been through too much.

"We will never find the words to describe how we feel after losing Tay. There is no fixing this pain and we now face an indescribable journey of survival. When you lose your child, the world becomes a different place and everything looks grey. Tay touched so many hearts with his joyful soul and he taught us the true meaning of love."

Now Laura is determined to raise awareness of the deadly disease and friends have also stepped in to help. Patrick Howlett, known as Paddy, 65, completed a 177-mile walking challenge to raise funds to help find a cure for brain tumours, inspired by his granddaughter’s best friend - Tay.

They raised £4,000 for Tay’s Tribe, a fundraising group under the umbrella of Brain Tumour Research. Laura said: "We are so grateful to Paddy for raising awareness and funds for better outcomes for children and adults diagnosed with brain tumours.

"Paddy is our lovely landlord, with Tay and Emily enjoying the sweetest friendship ever since they met in the reception class at Hallbrook Primary School in Broughton Astley. From baking cookies in her kitchen to building secret dens in his garden, their days together have been filled with giggles, silliness and the kind of joy only true childhood friends can bring – a simple, pure and beautiful bond, a little love story.”

Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "We are deeply grateful to Paddy, Mary and Tim and everyone supporting Tay's Tribe for their incredible efforts.

"Our Centres of Excellence bring together world-class researchers who are committed to understanding the complexities of brain tumours and developing more effective treatments. Every pound raised helps us sustain this critical research and brings us closer to finding a cure. Without increased investment, we risk losing the momentum we’ve built in uncovering the breakthroughs patients and families so desperately need."

To add your donation to Paddy’s fundraising for Tay’s Tribe and Brain Tumour Research, go to Paddy’s Just giving page.