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A TEENAGER who was diagnosed with bone cancer after an accident at work has lost his battle with the disease.

Dean Thompson died at home at the age of 19, a year after discovering he had the rare disease..

His parents, Gary and Diane, have paid tribute to their "courageous" son.

Mrs Thompson, aged 41, said Dean had bravely fought the disease, and never complained.

She said: "It was heart wrenching when the chemotherapy failed the first time but he said he would fight on. He was just so brave."

In January 2007 Dean, an apprentice electrician, was injured when a metal sheet fell off a roof, hitting his back, when he was working on a site in Blackpool.

He struggled to recover from the injury, walking with a limp. After a series of investigations the former Rivington and Blackrod High School pupil was eventually diagnosed with osteosarcoma - a type of bone cancer - at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham in May.

A lump grew on Dean's back and he was referred to the Christie Hospital in Manchester, for treatment at the Young Oncology Unit. He started chemotherapy immediately but did not respond well to any of the treatment.

In January of this year the family was told his kidneys had failed so he had to be given dialysis, at the Salford Royal Hospital.

In March, doctors found a second tumour had developed on his back, which could not be treated.

Dean was released from hospital two weeks ago, and died at home in Wenlock Close, Horwich, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Mrs Thompson said: "We all knew he was going to die but I just wanted it to be peaceful. In the end it was a nightmare because he was in absolute agony."

Mr Thompson, aged 41, said Dean was a fun-loving lad who was popular with everyone who knew him. He said: "Everyone at school liked him. He was mischievous and fun but he never got into trouble.

"He had such a bright future ahead of him, which he had been planning. He had a lovely girlfriend, Hayley.

"We'd saved for his 21st birthday and his wedding but now we are spending it on his funeral."

The funeral will be held at Rivington Parish Church on Monday (MAY 19), at 1pm.

The family will be raising money for the Christie Hospital's Young Oncology and Teenage Cancer Trust in Dean's memory. Donations can be dropped in at The Livesey Funeral Service, in Church Street, Horwich.

11:29am Friday 16th May 2008

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