Terminally-ill boy, four, dies clutching favourite teddy after sparking UK-wide search for stuffed toy when it went missing

Atticus Feduchin-Pate, four, battled a rare and incurable tumour called DIPG (Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas) since being diagnosed on July 1 last year.

Given less than two years to live, his parents, Blaize, 43, and Emily Emily Feduchin-Pate, 37, sadly confirmed their son had passed away in his sleep seven months after being diagnosed.

But the couple, who also have two-year-old daughter Hemploe, confirmed the youngster died while cuddling his favourite stuffed teddy, Boeuf, who was nearly lost forever just the week before his death.

Atticus, from Hampshire, sparked a UK-wide search after he lost his beloved bear while the family had a meal near London’s University College Hospital, where he was receiving treatment.

The youngster had Boeuf since he was 18-months-old, and he did everything with his favourite toy, with staff even making the bear a special matching radiotherapy mask.

After Emily realised the bear wasn’t at the hospital, she told Atticus he had ‘gone on a little adventure’ as the youngster cried himself to sleep.

Determined to track down the toy, Emily launched a social media campaign, #findboeuf, and hundreds of people got involved on social media.

Miraculously, Boeuf was tracked down at the Red Bus Shop in Waterloo, by a woman named Sharon whose son is also receiving treatment at the same hospital.

Emily told MyLondon that her son cuddled Boeuf as he slipped away on February 7.

Atticus started radiotherapy on the Monday, but by Wednesday he deteriorated rapidly, and the decision was made to stop treatment.

The mum-of-two said: “We were making plans to have him moved to our local children’s hospice, Naomi House.

“Sadly, Atticus passed away in the early hours of Thursday morning.

"Thankfully it was very peaceful, he was really tired and fell asleep and just didn’t wake up.

“Both Blaize and I were by his side, and he was cuddling Boeuf.

“It seems the tumour had progressed rapidly and centred on his respiratory system, so his breathing became laboured and then simply stopped.

“We are relieved that he deteriorated rapidly because he was not afraid, did not suffer, was not in any pain, and did not endure a long, drawn out demise.

“It was obviously a shock as we hoped the radiotherapy would buy us more time but, honestly, we had seven months of quality time which we treasure.”

Emily said just two weeks before Atticus died that the family were hoping to enjoy one last summer, and hoped he would make it to his ‘milestone’ fifth birthday on May 18.

Despite him not reaching his birthday, they managed to make some treasured memories, with the family visiting Legoland and Disneyland.

Emily said: “We are still determined to raise awareness and continue raising funds in Atticus’ name.

“To think seven months ago we had a happy, fit, healthy little boy with his whole future ahead of him, and now we are planning his funeral.

“No family should have to endure this, and if we can help raise funds for research we will do everything we can.

“And thank goodness that we found Boeuf the previous week so he could pass away with his best friend."

Friends of the family set up a fundraising page to support them and fund future research into the condition.

This is the incredible story of Atticus being reunited with his beloved Boeuf after he was lost.

And his parents also put Atticus in a drug trial in a bid to save other children’s lives.

We recently shared one mum’s tragic story, where she mistook weight loss for stress when I was actually leukaemia.

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