Support 4 charities that are helping Will as he bravely fights against brain cancer

This is Will. He is 9 years old and a pupil at Wyke Primary school in Gillingham.

Up until March 2020, he was enjoying life like any 9-year-old. He loved playing rugby, swimming, playing Minecraft, mountain biking and playing with his friends and older brother Finley.

However, just before Will’s 9th birthday in April 2020, he started suffering from random bouts of vomiting. As time went on these were accompanied by sudden blinding headaches, which were initially diagnosed as reflux and migraines.

His symptoms got worse, so in July, Will had a CT scan at Salisbury hospital and was given the devastating news that he had a brain tumour, which needed urgent surgery. That evening, he was transferred by ambulance to University Hospital Southampton and the next morning he underwent 10-hour brain surgery to remove the tumour.

Prior to Will’s diagnosis, he had sadly experienced cancer in his immediate family. Both his Mum and Dad were diagnosed with cancer in 2018, but nothing could prepare him or the family for what was about to come.

Will then spent 6 weeks on the Children’s Neurosurgery Ward. As a result of the life-saving surgery, Will now suffers from Posterior Fossa Syndrome. This neurological condition means that he has severe weakness on his left side, weak swallow, poor balance and vision. He currently isn’t able to walk unaided but is receiving physiotherapy to try and overcome this.

During his recovery at Southampton, Will suffered from debilitating headaches which required him to have another operation to insert a shunt into his brain.

Will was then transferred to University College Hospital London, where he underwent 31 sessions of radiotherapy to his brain and spine.

At the end of October, Will finally made it home to see his older brother who, due to Covid restrictions he had not seen since that hospital visit to Salisbury at the end of July.

In December Will returned to Southampton hospital to begin the next stage of his treatment: 4 cycles of high-dose chemotherapy with stem-cell replacement.

He spends several weeks at a time as an inpatient on Piam Brown ward and even spent Christmas day in hospital. To date he has spent a whopping 145 days away from home (and still counting!)

Despite all this, Will has done his family so very proud and been incredibly brave with the countless operations, procedures and treatments he has gone through. He has made such amazing progress and has put up with so many things no child should ever have to.

Will would love to say thank you to some of the many charities and who have helped him and his family along his difficult journey. This would be a real boost for him as he continues fighting to get better.

Any money raised will be split equally between the following charities:

Piam Brown Ward Charity - https://southamptonhospitalscharity.org/donate-to-piam-brown-ward/

This is the children’s oncology ward at Southampton hospital where he is receiving his chemotherapy treatment.

Abby’s Heroes – https://www.abbysheroes.org/#whoarewe

‘The aim of our charity is to help and support children and their families, including bereaved families, who come under the care of the Piam Brown and the Teenagers and Young Adults (TYA) wards at Southampton General Hospital. We offer financial and practical help as well as the opportunity to make lasting memories for the children and their families.’

Spread A Smile. https://spreadasmile.org/

‘Spread a Smile brings joy and laughter to seriously and terminally ill children and their families during intensive treatment and extended hospital stays. Every year we spread smiles to thousands of hospitalised children and teenagers and their families through hospital entertainment, family outings & events, art initiatives and digital services including Smile TV and Smile Spaces. We know that our impact is far greater than a smile as we strive to make a real and positive difference to young lives at the most challenging of times.’

Smile for Wessex - www.smile4wessex.org/home

The Wessex Neurological Centre is one of the largest and most highly respected neurological centres in the UK, providing acute and specialist care to patients from across Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, West Sussex, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. With your support, Smile4Wessex aims to make it even better by funding cutting-edge equipment and facilities that enhance the range and quality of treatment available, and by sponsoring pioneering research into new treatments for a variety of neurological conditions .

Any donation at all would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU.