WHEN Jonny Baker was diagnosed with a brain tumour he decided he wanted to raise money for a charity.

And he made up his mind which one when he came to stay at the Youth Cancer Trust in Bournemouth this summer.

With the help of his 19-year-old brother Matty and a nurse who used to work at a nearby hospice, he organised a disco and karaoke night at a social club in his hometown of Stockton.

They wrote off to various companies and got more than 30 raffle prizes from £200 cash and a television to a box of chocolates.

They sold thousands of raffle tickets and more than 350 entry tickets. A local Asda store also gave them £1,000.

The evening raised a massive £2,220 for the Daily Echo-backed charity, which has provided free breaks away from hospitals, social workers and anxious parents for more than 250 young people with cancer.

Brenda Clark set up the charity with retired solicitor John Scott after losing her only daughter to cancer at the age of 21.

"The Youth Cancer Trust gave me a lot of hope and inspired me," said Jonny. "It is a really good place to come. You just relax; it just feels like home. And you get to meet people who are in the same situation as you."

The 21-year-old was diagnosed with a brain tumour in February last year.

"I cried my eyes out," he said."But my way of dealing with it is to look at other people. A lot of people are worse off than me. I can talk, I can walk, I can hear and I can eat."

He has had radiotherapy, eight lots of chemotherapy and thousands of pounds' worth of a new drug.

A check-up in March showed his tumour had shrunk and it was even smaller in August.

"I have still got the tumour. I don't know if I will ever get rid of it. I just keep going every day."

Anyone who could help raise money for the Youth Cancer Trust should contact Brenda or Jim on 01202 763591 or the Daily Echo newsroom on 411289.