A mother stabbed with scissors on a CBD street as she tried to protect her seriously ill 10-year-old son has opened up about the horrific ordeal.

Cherie Holt said in a statement on social media that she was in Melbourne on Tuesday so her boy could receive treatment for a rare, inoperable brain tumour.

He needs magnetic resonance imaging scans every three months as part of the treatment.

They were in front of police headquarters on Spencer St when Ms Holt’s son was punched to the head and scissor blades where plunged into her back as she tried to rescue him.

“The timing made what happened particularly difficult. My son still had to undergo that MRI after being punched in the head, and because I was hospitalised with my own injuries, I couldn’t be beside him for it,” she said in a statement on Instagram.

“Instead of holding his hand and reassuring him through one of the most frightening parts of his medical journey, I was stuck in another hospital because I had been stabbed.”

Ms Holt said words could not describe the experience.

“Being attacked myself was terrifying, but that wasn’t what I was thinking about. I was watching somebody attack my child and then trying to make sure he couldn’t get to any of my boys again,” she wrote.

“When I realised one of my sons was still there and could see what was happening to me, screaming “Mum, Mum,” I knew I couldn’t let go. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me, but I knew I had to keep that man away from my child.”

Ms Holt lauded and thanked the “incredibly brave men” who stepped in and restrained the alleged offender.

“You put your own lives and safety on the line to help save mine. That’s not a small thing. You didn’t know me or my boys, but you stepped into an incredibly dangerous situation to protect complete strangers,” she said.

“In doing that, you potentially saved not only me and my children, but other members of the public as well. There will never be enough words to explain how grateful I am to you MEN. And when I’m mobile again, the beers are definitely on me.”

Melbourne CBD attack

Ms Holt said what happened showed there needed to be a “much bigger conversation” about violent crime levels.

She said it was a fact that the public was becoming accustomed to incidents like what had happened to her family.

“I want our government to recognise that families should not have to accept serious violence as an increasingly normal part of life. Something needs to change,” Ms Holt said.

“I want to be very clear that my criticism is not directed at the police officers who responded to us. The police involved have been incredible. They have done their jobs and, in my experience, have gone above and beyond what was required of them in supporting us through an absolutely horrific situation.”

Jerry Sowood 27, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court this week after being charged over the incident.

“I punched the kid in the head, I took the scissors and I stabbed the woman in the head,” Mr Sowood told the court.

“No need to hide it … at least they’re both still breathing, you know, so I kept my humanity. (They) might be somewhat traumatised.”