A family has been left devastated after their three-year-old boy picked up a cold anddied a few months later.

Joseph Yeandle, from Brynamman in Wales, was described as a loveable little boy whose cheeky energy lit up any room he toddled in to. His heartbreaking journey began in April 2021, when his family noticed a sudden change in his behaviour, with the youngster going off his food, suffering with fatigue, and limping.

Over the Easter holidays, his older brother Liam caught a cold, which Joseph also contracted. While Liam got better quickly, tragically the cold took hold of Joseph.

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Joseph's aunt Emma told WalesOnline: "He didn't get better like Liam did, so the GP sent him to Glangwili Hospital for blood tests." The results showed Joseph's platelets were dangerously low, indicating a possible cancer diagnosis. A week later, Joseph's parents were given the devastating news that he had stage four high risk neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma is a rare and aggressive cancer which affects young children. According to Cancer Research UK, around 100 children between the ages of 0 and 14 years are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year in the UK, but it is very unlikely to develop in older children, teenagers and adults.

Neuroblastoma commonly spreads to the bones, liver, skin and bone marrow through the blood and lymphatic system. This occurs in about 50% of children with neuroblastoma.

"It was devastating," Emma said. "The survival rates are just at 50%, but what was worse was that if Joseph was in remission and had a relapse, that chance of survival would drop to just 5%. We couldn't wrap our heads around that. It was absolutely devastating for us."

As Joseph's family scrambled to find treatment options, they learned about an experimental trial in New York. The treatment, a bivalent cancer vaccine, could potentially help keep children with neuroblastoma in remission, but it costs £250,000.

"We heard about this incredible trial in New York that was showing a lot of promise in keeping children with neuroblastoma in remission," Emma explained. "But we didn't have that kind of money as a family, so we had to set up a public fundraising campaign.

"That was really tough to do. We are a very proud family, and during that time, my sister had been very private; she never posted her kids on social media, so that was something she had to overcome in order to help get the treatment Joseph needed."

Despite their efforts, the road to raising the funds was not easy. "Katy [Joseph's mum] never left his side. When he was sleeping she'd still be there, on her laptop, trying to design posters and get this campaign up and running," Emma said. "She was working ten to the dozen trying to get this treatment, when she should've been resting or trying to mentally process what was going on."

Along with the stresses of fundraising, the family faced the complications of Covid restrictions, making the already difficult situation even harder.

"What was really tough was that this all happened during the tail-end of Covid, so barely anyone was really allowed on the ward. At that point, only one parent was allowed on the ward," Emma explained.

"None of us got to see much of Joseph. He was diagnosed in the April, and we were only really able to see him a handful of times between then and the day we lost him. That was tough for Liam - who was six at the time - to understand. He didn't get why he couldn't get to see his brother, so that was difficult to manage."

In the face of these overwhelming challenges, Emma says the family remained strong. "We rallied together and did the best we could. Me and my mum tried to keep things as normal as possible for Liam at home. Plus, we had an amazing support network from our family and friends, and the community was incredible. We were blown away by the love and kindness people showed us."

But despite their tireless efforts, Joseph's condition worsened and he did not make it to New York for the experimental treatment. Two days after Christmas in 2021, Joseph passed away, leaving his family shattered. In the wake of their loss, the family knew they needed to do something to honour Joseph's memory.

"Katy is one of the most incredible women I’ve ever met. Despite her heart being shattered into a million pieces, she wanted to do something positive, to make sure Joseph's name would never be forgotten. She always finds a silver lining in every situation."

Emma and Katy set up a charity in Joseph's honour, calling it Joseph's Smile as a tribute to the little boy.

Katy said: "I will dedicate my life to Joseph's charity, to make as much of a difference as I possibly can in the lives of families like ours.

"Running this charity with my sister is the way I get to spend time with Joseph now. I talk about him with people all day every day, we are building his legacy together and making a huge difference to the lives of so many children at the same time. It brings me so much hope and comfort in my grief."

The charity is now preparing for its next major event. On Wednesday, the Swansea Building Society Arena will host A Celebration of Music - a one-night-only extravaganza, organised by Joseph's Smile.

Hosted by comedian Mike Doyle, the concert will also feature an all-star 14-piece orchestra led by acclaimed musical director Adam Dennis and recently announced charity patron Lee Mead, known for his work on the West End and TV.

With 100% of proceeds going directly to two UK-based childhood cancer research projects - one focused on neuroblastoma and the other on kickstarting research across a broader range of childhood cancers - the event aims to raise both vital funds and awareness.

Tickets for the event are still available and can be accessed here.