My cousin Freddie was diagnosed with a rare kidney tumour which turned out to be a cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma in March 2012. 

Freddie was incredibly happy and took everything in his stride.  He faced everything with bravery and defiance – he fought as hard as he could and was in remission for a time following surgery.  He loved the zoo and going to the beach.  Most of all he loved playing with his sister Poppy and home was his favourite place to be.  He always had a big smile on his face. I am so proud of how strong he was. He was and is an inspiration to everyone that knew him.

In November 2012 he became very poorly with infections and spent 13 weeks, including Christmas, in Great Ormond Street Hospital.  He had finished chemotherapy and thought He could return to a normal life with minimal chemo once he recovered from the infections. However, just before he finally returned home in January, a scan and biopsy revealed the cancer had returned in Freddie’s lung and no more treatment could be found to save my cousin.

It is and was truly devastating to be told that there was nothing more we could do to fight this horrible, aggressive, evil cancer and  died peacefully on Saturday 13 April, aged 22 months. 

My family found a research project at Newcastle University (Northern Insitute for Cancer Research) and have made contacts with some very dedicated people who are focussed on finding a cure for the type of cancer Freddie had.  It is heart breaking to say that some of the rarer cancers are grossly underfunded so Freddie’s family and Friends want to do everything possible to raise money and support this project. Brick by brick a cure can be found.

I hope you can spare some of your well earned money to help Newcastle University continue their research and help others to not have to go through what our family has.

If I reach my goal of £250, I stand the chance of Whitbread PLC matching my total raised figure.

Sarah x