Caring Keighley News readers have rallied round in support of a young cancer sufferer.
More than 80 donations have already been given via little Callum Ingham’s Just Giving website.
And countless good luck messages have been posted by well-wishers.
Eight-year-old Callum has undergone surgery and chemotherapy for neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of childhood cancer, and on Monday began an intensive three-week course of radiotherapy at St James’ Hospital in Leeds.
But should the battle be unsuccessful – and there is an 80 per cent chance of relapse – the family will have to look abroad, to America or Germany, for life-saving treatments not available on the NHS.
An appeal has been launched to raise the half-a-million pounds needed, and, following publicity in last week’s Keighley News, the initial total more than doubled to nearly £600 within a couple of days.
“So many people have come forward offering support – we are very grateful,” said Callum’s mum, Kim Ager, of Delph House in Parkwood Rise, Keighley.
“We know of several activities people are planning, and it is still early days.
“There has been a lot of demand for collection buckets, and we’ve already sold quite a few wristbands, which were ordered but haven’t even arrived yet!
“There’s a long way to go, but we’d like to thank everyone for their donations, offers of help and messages of support so far. They are hugely appreciated.”
The cancer was discovered in Callum, a pupil at Parkwood Primary School in Keighley, last summer. He was suffering from stomach ache, which doctors initially put down to appendicitis.
But when surgeons at Airedale Hospital prepared to remove his appendix, they discovered a giant tumour pushing on his organs.
Surgeons removed the tumour and Callum underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but the outer edge is still active.
Callum’s dad, Matthew Ingham, is staying in Leeds with his son during the latest bout of radiotherapy, while Kim, 32, looks after the couple’s three other children – Megan, 14, Jordan, 13, and six-month-old Rylan – and gets to the hospital when she can.
The family has received support from the Families Against Neuroblastoma (FAN) charity, which is backing the fundraising appeal.
Visit justgiving.com/CallumInghamAppeal or text CALL77 and the amount, between £1 and £10, to 70070 to support the campaign.
Contact our newsroom at alistair.shand@keighleynews.co.uk or on 01535 606611 (option three) so we can publicise your fundraising activity.
Visit familiesagainstneuroblastoma.org for further information about neuroblastoma.
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