The family of a seven-year-old who was diagnosed with a brain tumour have hailed the hero doctors who "may have saved his life".

Isaac-James Smith from Bushey was taken to Watford General’s A&E with “stomach pains” and no other obvious symptoms linked to the problem, his family said.

However, quick-thinking doctors rapidly did an MRI just to be sure, which found a cancerous medulloblastoma tumour. He was then rushed to Great Ormond Street Hospital to have it removed.

His grandmother Kathleen Stanley said: “We were all devastated when we found out about his diagnosis, but we were relieved after Great Ormond Street Hospital told us the tumour was removed.

“You would never think this would happen to you, but my grandson is so strong and never complains.”

Watford Observer: Isaac James and the doctor who helped his diagnosis.Isaac James and the doctor who helped his diagnosis. (Image: Kathleen Stanley)

About 500 children in the United States are diagnosed with medulloblastoma each year, according to Cancer.Net. They make up about 20 per cent of childhood brain tumours, making it the most common cancerous brain tumour in children.

Since the diagnosis in July, Isaac-James is over halfway through his radiotherapy treatment and is "doing well", with the "prognosis remaining positive", according to his grandmother. 

She added: “He is so strong and amazing. We all can’t believe how strong he is, we are confident he will make a full recovery. We thank God every day that he is looking down on Isaac-James and caring for him.”

He has daily treatment which he attends with his mother, Shannon, but is still active and “enjoys playing lots of football”.

He is "your typical boy", loves WWE wrestling and all things football, and is “still smiling and enjoying life” despite the treatment causing his hair to fall out.

Kathleen Stanley, an ex-cleaner, added: "We want to say a big thank you to the doctor who helped my grandson, her quick thinking may have helped save Isaac's life.

"She deserves so much praise and is one of the good things to come out of Watford General Hospital. Without the wonderful Dr Shruti Jawahar Ganatra our grandson could be in a very different situation.”