Liam Munro and his family have been invited to Easter Road to watch Hibernian play Inverness Caledonian Thistle as guests of the Edinburgh club's chairman, Rod Petrie.

And the 16-year-old, who uses a wheelchair, has been invited to go onto the pitch immediately before the SPL clash and perform a mock kick-off.

His family are elated at the VIP treatment he is getting on the all-expenses-paid outing.

It is the latest tie-up he has had with Hibs, whose website message board regularly features goodwill postings.

The trip is the latest sign of encouraging progress Liam has made in his fight against a condition which has baffled doctors. It is believed the tumour has been with him all his life, though it was only diagnosed at the end of November 2006.

He has courageously battled through multiple operations and lengthy hospital stays to be fit enough to return to the family home in Glengolly.

Hibs-daft Liam got a major boost last summer when goalkeeper Andrew McNeil and defender Kevin McCann visited him during a spell in Glasgow's Southern General Hospital.

Then, in December, he was invited to join the Hibernian squad for breakfast on the morning of their league match away to Caley Thistle.

Liam chatted and had his photo taken with then manager John Collins and some of the players.

MacNeil and current first-choice keeper Yves Ma-Kalambay gave him a signed shirt and pair of gloves respectively, while he received a ball signed by the squad in action that day.

Liam and his family, including grandfather and lifelong Hibs supporter Hamish MacDonald, then watched the game from a private box in the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.

Mum Alison explained yesterday that the family had promised Liam they would take him down for the return match, provided he was fit.

"In December, he was still poorly and it took a lot of energy for him to make it to the game," she said. "He was determined to go and he had a really good time. While we were there, Rod Petrie said that they would have to get him down to the return match.

"We never thought anything more about it and we were planning to go to it anyway when we got a call out of the blue inviting us down."

Alison (38) said the family has been overwhelmed by the hospitality shown by the club.

"They've been absolutely fantastic," she said. "Liam has also come on leaps and bounds since the Inverness game and he's absolutely thrilled about going down at the weekend."

Alison has had to take a back seat from the family shop business to accompany Liam during his long spells in hospital in Glasgow and Inverness. When he returned to the county, he spent a couple of months in Thurso's Dunbar Hospital before being allowed home in October, since when Alison has been looking after him.

She said that he made steady progress at home before suffering a relapse, which was arrested by a change in medication.

Alison and husband Bryan, a 46-year-old Dounreay worker, believe Liam has had the tumour since he was a baby. He had a very active childhood, playing football and rugby and having a part-time job in the local cinema.

Persistent symptoms of headaches and a running nose were attributed to an allergy. When the tumour – which extended from his spine – was belatedly diagnosed, the family feared the worst.

Alison said: "We were told initially it was a terminal condition, and it was touch and go when he went through six operations in the space of six weeks.

"Since then, the doctors can't really tell us very much as his condition is new to them. While it is a common tumour, it's not something they are familiar with.

"His neurologist in Glasgow, who is very experienced, said he had not seen anything like it before. I'm told that a neurological paper has been written about Liam's condition."

The family are hoping Liam will continue his current heartening progress, which has included him taking some faltering steps while holding on to a Zimmer frame.

Alison said: "We have to take it day by day. The uncertainty is very difficult as no-one really knows what is going to happen with the tumour.

"There's a lot of ifs and buts – but we have to remain positive."

There was a scare last week when Liam was rushed to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, but concern that the tumour could be compressing his spine thankfully proved groundless.

Liam attends regularly for physiotherapy and often goes on outings in the family car, which is specially adapted to take his wheelchair.

"He never complains or feels sorry for himself," said Alison. "He's a real fighter, and that is what has pulled him through."

Liam will travel down tomorrow with his parents, brother Brent (18), sister Zoe (14) and grandad Hamish.

Bus-driver Hamish will wheel Liam on to the park tomorrow when he will be introduced to the rival captains and referee Kenny Clark before performing the mock kick-off.

iain-grant@ukf.net

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