Boy's cancer inspires parents to raise thousands

The parents of a child in remission from leukaemia have raised more than £465,000 for the hospital that looked after him.

Lucy and Matt's son Carter, now 13, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2016.

Lucy started fundraising from his bedside on the cancer ward at Birmingham Children's Hospital, where he had years of gruelling therapies before going into remission in 2019.

"I thought, I've just got to do something, I've got to try and make a difference and make the journey easier for these children," Lucy said.

Carter, from Lichfield, in Staffordshire, was taken into hospital in 2016 after becoming unwell with what his parents initially thought was "just a virus".

The diagnosis came as a huge shock, and Lucy remembered "a very scary time" following, with constant trips to the hospital to monitor temperature spikes and chemotherapy problems.

"They're just so young," she said. "You can't process it really."

Within three weeks of setting up a fundraising page, she had pledges totalling £15,000.

"I was absolutely bowled over with the support that we got straight away," she said.

The Carter the Brave fundraising group works closely with Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity to decide where the money should go.

So far, funds have been spent on mobile chemotherapy pumps, bespoke entertainment units and other specialist equipment.

"I'm quite interested in trying to focus on things that mean the children can go home more," Lucy said. "It is utterly miserable for a child to be in hospital."

Sums have also gone towards research on the effect of nutrients in the growth of cancer cells in paediatric patients, which is progressing on to clinical trials.

Carter suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome for four years after completing his treatment.

"He only started really being well from last Easter," his mum said.

He is now at school full-time and a goalkeeper in a football team, but still has "ups and downs".

"He missed out on so much," she said. "We're just lucky to have him."

Lucy's next mission is organising a 100km (62.1 mile) five-day trek across the Sahara Desert in March in aid of research, specialist equipment and the hospital's entrance hall renovations.

Lucy and Matt will take part, alongside 29 others.

"It's the terrain that's going to be the challenge - and the heat and the cold. No toilets, no showers, sleeping in a tent for four nights," Lucy said.

"So far we've raised £38,000. Everything that we've raised will go to the children."

Sarah Wright, a GP from Lichfield, is one those who have signed up for the self-funded adventure.

"My main motivation is to get my fitness up to its optimum level while raising money for this deserving cause," she said.

"I'm not worried about it, I'm excited for what will be a life-changing adventure to push me out of my comfort zone."

Lucy said there would also be other parents from the children's hospital taking part, and the hospital's CEO.

"It is a big deal, it's a big challenge," she said.

"I'm excited and a bit nervous and there's quite a big sense of responsibility for me because everyone's doing it for Carter the Brave."

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