Jarrow boy Jack Lewis, 10, makes touching gifts for 150 nurses while facing battle with migraines and vomiting

Jack Lewis, has had a lifetime of hospital visits after he was born with his bowel, intestines and liver outside of his body.

Even now, he is suffering from migraines, vomiting and needs more exploratory surgery.

But Jack has not given in. Instead, he has spent the last few weeks making cardboard hearts and stickers for nurses at the Royal Victoria Infirmary where he has been treated all his life.

‘Don’t forget the difference you make’

Each heart had a message on it saying ‘don’t forget the difference you make’ and ‘love from Jack and Archie’ in reference to his little brother.

He visited the RVI to hand over his Valentine’s Day gift last night.

Ten-year-old Jack, who won a Child of Courage trophy at last year’s Best of South Tyneside Awards, is not stopping there in his campaign to help others.

He has also launched his ‘Friendship Bags of Hope’ project. Jack wants to raise £2,000 to put together bags for poorly children in hospital.

Each bag will have a book, cuddly toy and other special things in to cheer up other youngsters and Jack has already raised £1,500 in less than a month.

‘He is getting bad migraines and vomiting’

Mum Sarah said: “He is getting bad migraines and episodes of vomiting. The hospital has requested an MRI scan and Jack is due back for surgery.”

But the South Tyneside youngster has his own way of handling setbacks. He fights his illnesses by thinking of others.

"He has chosen all the books for his Friendship Bags of Hope and all he needs now is to find the Teddy Bears to put in the bags,” said Sarah. “He has even emailed some companies that make the bears to ask them if they will make a donation.”

His story has inspired many people including one person who made a £500 donation to Jack’s appeal.

Born with a rare health condition

Jack came into the world with the rare condition Exomphalos Major which only affects two in 5,000 children, according to NHS statistics.

His parents, Sarah and Gary, were informed at the 12-week scan that he would be born with the condition.

He had surgery at five months old when two hernias were operated on. Complications with a further operation to place the organs inside Jack’s body led to the youngster fighting for his life.

He had more surgery when the bowel came back through his stomach. More recently, Jack had two more operations and was poorly for a year with further bowel problems in 2018.

In hospital 50 times in 10 years

He has been in hospital around 50 times and still has stomach problems.

But he always looks back with pride at the day he won a Best of South Tyneside award and mum said: “He told me he was proud to only be 9 years old and could still make people happy.”

Judges chose Jack as an award winner after they heard how he faced up to his health issues and had been chosen to be part of the England team for the Dance World Cup.

Interested people can still donate to the Jack’s Friendship Bags Of Hope fundraiser.