A MUM from Blackburn has launched an awareness campaign after her 10-year-old son had to undergo surgery on a brain tumour.

Suzanne Clague said she wanted to turn the experience into something positive, so has set up the ‘Hedzup’ campaign to make parents aware of the symptoms of brain illnesses.

It will also raise money for the neurosurg-ery and oncology units at Alder Hey Hospital, in Liverpool, where her son, Louis Crowson, was treated.

Suzanne now lives in Bispham, but used to live in Queen’s Park, and still has several family members in Blackburn.

She used to work on Thompson’s fruit and veg stall, in the old Blackburn Market.

She said the symptoms of brain illnesses are commonly dismissed as flu symptoms by health professionals, and added: “Months can go by before a child is correctly diagnosed.

“We went to the doctors and hospital many times to be told Louis had a virus, a cold, or an infection.

“We’ve been in and out of the specialist unit at Alder Hey for the last 18 months, and we’ve seen lots of tragic cases where the child has died, when this might not have happ-ened if they’d found it sooner.”

Louis was born with neurofibromatosis type one (NF-1), which affects the gene that divides cells in the body, but only began showing signs of the condition, including headaches, dizziness and tilting his head, in the last two years.

Suzanne has already enlisted help from Blackpool FC Community Trust, and Layton Juniors Football Club.

Over the next few months there will be a Hats4Heads day, when children are being enc-ouraged to wear a hat for a day. There will also be a charity foot-ball match between old Blackpool players and a team of celebrities.

For more information about Suzanne’s awar-eness campaign visit: https://www.facebook.com/hedzup?ref= profile