AN inspirational teen who battled a brain tumour has raised an incredible £12,000 for the hospital which saved his life.

Rafe Louis, 14, has handed the cash over to Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London, who treated him after the deadly tumour was discovered almost ten years ago.

Since leaving the hospital, the youngster from Hatfield Peverel, has become committed to raising funds for it by selling cakes and holding flower sales.

His first fundraiser saw £9.50 collected and subsequent events have helped generate £12,000.

Mum Cheryl said: “He gets so much enjoyment from giving something back to them and he spends much of his time either in the garden or baking cakes the kitchen.

“It’s his way of showing his appreciation because he knows what might have happened if they hadn’t been there to help him on that day.”

At just four-years-old, Rafe was diagnosed with a deadly brain tumour and just five hours after having his first MRI scan he was rushed to GOSH.

He spent the next 15 months undergoing lifesaving treatment and has since had further operations on his eyes, physiotherapy and is regularly monitored by experts.

And despite undergoing 33 rounds of gruelling radiotherapy and chemotherapy at the London hospital, Cheryl says her son just can’t wait to go back for check-ups.

She said: “It’s become like an extended family for him because whenever he goes back he sees people who he knows from his time there.

“He’s always asking me when we’re going back there for his next check-up because he enjoys seeing them so much.

“I think a lot of it can be put down to how the hospital treated him after his first fundraiser where he raised £9.50.

“They were fantastic because they treated it as though he’d raised £10,000 and that really encouraged him and sent him on his way.”