- Written by Matt Weigold
- bbc radio stoke
The family of a five-month-old baby who needs a liver transplant are trying to raise £65,000 to pay for his treatment in Belgium.
Mr Jensen, from Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, said he was told he was too unwell to undergo surgery on the NHS.
But his father, Chris, said he would not give up.
He said the pledges of donations and messages of support had been a huge help to him and Jensen’s mother.
Jensen was born with complex liver and heart conditions and spent much of his time at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
When it was decided he was too unwell to undergo a liver transplant, doctors sought advice from two other NHS hospitals, who confirmed their assessment.
His father said the news was “really hard to break” but added: “He’s tough and he’s fighting.”
“It gave me hope.”
Chris said the family was very upset when they first learned about Jensen’s problems, but their thoughts quickly turned to what they could do for him.
Another family from the Republic of Ireland with a child in a similar situation contacted us to inform them of the possibility of surgery in Belgium.
Chris said his family was given hope after contacting the Belgian team and appealed for funding to pay for treatment.
They are supported by many in the football world and local club Port Vale.
Birmingham Women and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said it would not comment on the incident at this stage.