WHEN eight-year-old cancer sufferer Nathan Cox was lying in his hospital bed - recovering from yet another bout of chemotherapy - he dreamed of playing computer games.

Unfortunately for the brave Basingstoke youngster, neither he nor his family owned a computer.

However, that all changed on Nathan's birthday this year when his wish came true and a brand-new laptop arrived on his door-step - courtesy of children's cancer charity Starlight.

The national charity, which was set up in 1987, aims to brighten the lives of seriously and terminally-ill children aged between four and 18 by granting their wishes and providing hospital entertainment.

Nathan's mother Judith, who has two other sons, Michael, 12, and one-year-old James, said she is extremely grateful to Starlight for everything it has done for Nathan and her family.

"Nathan was very excited and happy when he received his computer," she said. "He plays games on it all the time. The internet has opened up a whole new world for him and he is now able to do things that other kids do."

Mrs Cox, 38, of Stratfield Road, Oakridge, said she went into "total shock" in June 2005 when she was told Nathan, who attends school in Surrey, had a malignant Wilms' tumour - the size of a football - growing on his liver, intestines, lymph glands and left kidney.

Since the diagnosis, the youngster, who his mum says is always smiling, has had part of his liver and left kidney removed and has endured months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. He has also missed over a year of school because of his illness and his long stays in hospital.

Mrs Cox said: "He was given the all-clear last month but he has to return to hospital every three months for check-ups to make sure the cancer hasn't returned."