Friends have rallied round the family of three-year-old boy, Harry Lucas, who is fighting for his life after being diagnosed with leukaemia.

His mother Rachel Lucas, who has previously had six miscarriages, went to great lengths to carry him when she was pregnant and had to have daily steroid injections to ensure he was strong and healthy. He came into the world as a “little miracle” on December 10, 2011.

But on July 26, Harry started feeling unwell and Mrs Lucas, 35, took him to St George’s Medical Centre in St George’s Avenue, Sheerness.

He was sent for blood tests and prescribed antibiotics and the next day Mrs Lucas and husband Gary Lucas, of Holmside Avenue, Halfway, were asked to bring him into the surgery.

They were told Harry was suspected of having leukaemia and he was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital where this was confirmed.

Mr and Mrs Lucas praised Dr Franklin Igwe at St George’s Medical Centre for helping them to get a diagnosis quickly.

After a blood transfusion and more tests, Harry was transferred to the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey.

A complication while putting in an injection port caused one of his lungs to collapse and he had to be transferred to King’s College Hospital in London.

He has since recovered and is now back home and travelling up to Medway for chemotherapy.

Mrs Lucas’s long-term childhood friend, Emma Wade, is seeking to raise funds to support the family through the three-year treatment plan.

She said despite his hospital stays, Harry does not know how poorly he is and keeps smiling, charming and entertaining his nurses.

She said: “Harry is a little comedian and makes everyone he meets laugh – usually by using them as a climbing frame, throwing food at them or smacking them on top of the head if they’re naughty.”

His big sister and brother, Amelia, nine, and Callum, 17, have also been very supportive.

Friends have now started a campaign, called Roar 4 Harry, to raise money to support the family through their difficult time over the next few years.

They hope to raise money to cover things like travel expenses and a holiday after Harry recovers from treatment with any left over going to a leukaemia charity.

The chemotherapy will affect Harry’s immune system, which means he will not be able to interact with other children for the first six months, so the family would also like to build a play area for him in their garden to keep him entertained.