ON New Year’s Eve 2011, Mandy Pedelty was sat by her toddler Max’s bedside in the intensive care department in Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

From the window she had a perfect view of the fireworks being let off as the city heralded the start of 2012.

But for Mrs Pedelty and her family there was little cause to celebrate. Max, who had recently celebrated his first birthday, was due to begin an intensive course of chemotherapy for leukaemia but complications with his preparatory surgery and an existing lung condition led to complete respiratory failure and septicaemia. His chances of survival were just five per cent.

The Northern Echo: BROTHERS: Six year old Max Pedelty with his brother, Joe, at their home in Willington. Max is now five years in remission from cancer after being given only a five per cent chance of survival Picture: CHRIS BOOTH

BROTHERS: Six year old Max Pedelty with his brother, Joe, at their home in Willington. Picture: CHRIS BOOTH

“I remember sitting there with the fireworks going off around me and just saying to myself ‘please let him live, just please let him live,’” said Mrs Pedelty, from Willington, County Durham.

“I didn’t make any New Year’s Resolutions that year. I just begged for Max to get better. He was in intensive care for eight weeks in a critical condition. It was awful.”

Max was born with a rare transient form of leukaemia associated with Down’s Syndrome which sadly developed into acute myeloid leukaemia. He spent eight months on the children’s cancer ward in the RVI and underwent four ten-day courses of chemotherapy for ten hours a day.

However, Max’s other health problems, namely low immunity and a lung condition, caused major setbacks including 11 bouts of pneumonia, respiratory failure and septicaemia.

But little Max was and remains a fighter and on May 13, 2012, he was given the all-clear to return home with Mrs Pedelty, his father Trevor Pedelty and adoring older siblings Mollie, now 18, and Joe, nine.

Five years later and the youngster has grown into a cheerful, fun-loving six-year-old with a cheeky smile that melts hearts wherever he goes. He still has low immunity and faces daily challenges with his mobility and respiratory problems, but he rarely lets his disabilities get him down.

“He is so funny,” said Mrs Pedelty. “He always has such a big smile on his face and is a real character. He’s very caring too and always tells us he loves us.

“Almost all of Max’s friends from hospital have gone now, including his best friend Katie Slyderink who was a beautiful little girl and only four when she died. Every year we release balloons in her memory. Whenever Max has a balloon now he says he wants to send it to Katie in heaven.”

Max’s caring nature was also demonstrated in 2014 when he dressed as an elf and delivered presents to children spending Christmas in the cancer unit. And last year, the youngster, who attends Evergreen Primary School in Bishop Auckland, was awarded a Braveheart of the North East Award in recognition of his bravery and generosity.

Over the last five years, family and friends have also raised money for various charities in his name. In 2012, family friend Simon Martin raised £30,000 for Tabitha’s Toys after walking 77 miles along the Pennine Way in a day. This September, meanwhile, Mrs Pedelty’s brother, Paul Ayre, will run the Great North Run in aid of Clic Sargent.

Mrs Pedelty thanked everyone who had supported the family adding: “You don’t realise how lucky you are until something like this happens. As a family, we no longer worry about trivial things anymore because this has really puts things into perspective.

“Mollie and Joe both have health problems too. Mollie has epilepsy and suffers horrendous seizures, while Joe has brittle asthma.

“They think the world of Max. This whole experience has made them into such caring, well-rounded people.”