Two brave youngsters are launching Bexleyheath Broadway Shopping Centre’s nativity celebrations next month as their dad battles a brain tumour.

Gabby Noyce, six, and her brother Harry, four, have been selected as special guests for the opening of the grotto, in aid of Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice.
 
The pair, who go to Colfe's School in Greenwich, have relied on the charity after their lives were turned upside down last November.

Their dad, John, suffered a seizure and collapsed whilst in Singapore for a business trip. 

An emergency operation the following day revealed the 35-year old foreign exchange analyst had an aggressive tumour in the area of his brain responsible for personality.
 
Devastated wife Vicky jumped on a plane to make the 14-hour journey to bring him back to the UK.
 
John became seriously ill on the flight home and was admitted straight into hospital on his return.

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Vicky, 35, said: "The prognosis was not good. 

"We were told the average survival rate for people suffering his type of tumour was 14 months."

John has been forced to give up work and the tumour has caused his behaviour to become challenging.
 
Vicky said: "The terrible strain has taken its toll on family life. 

"John and I have been together 17 years but where I once automatically knew what he was likely to be thinking or what his reactions would be in certain situations.

"It is now like he is a different person." 

John has been forced to give up work and endured intensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy. He is currently undergoing an experimental treatment pioneered in America.
 
Vicky has praised Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice and in particular social worker Caroline Kidd.

She said:  "I really don’t know what we would have done without Caroline. 

"She has been at our side in the most desperate moments, helping me and the children cope turmoil that has erupted in our family since my husband’s cancer diagnosis.

"His behaviour became challenging and Caroline helped us so much, explaining to the children what has happened to their daddy and how the illness has affected him, things which I could not even begin to put into words." 

Harry and Gabby are now excited about unveiling the fairytale grotto on November 8 with all proceeds from which will go to the Abbey Wood Hospice in Bostall Hill.
 
Broadway Shopping Centre has teamed up with the hospice for the last five years to create the grotto, which costs £3 per child and includes a meeting with Santa and a present.

For more information, visit broadwayshoppingcentre.com or communityhospice.org.uk