Jude Mellon-Jameson: £200,000 boost for Sheffield boy, four, in fight for pioneering cancer treatment

The youngster from Woodhouse Mill was diagnosed with high risk Neuroblastoma, an aggressive cancer which sees around 100 children in the UK diagnosed each year, the day before his third birthday last year.

His mum and dad, Lucy and Arron, a former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper, set out to raise £236,000 to pay for a new treatment in America, unavailable in this country, which they believe could reduce the risk of the disease returning in future.

And this week, mum Lucy confirmed they have passed the £200,000 mark in their fundraising.

She said: “Fundraising is at £209,000 – £27,000 left to go to access the trial in New York. It feels so within reach now. Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared, fundraised. It means so much and we are on that final push.”

She has also paid tribute to the staff at Sheffield Children’s Hospital who have been looking after Jude, after he was taken into hospital again last week after having a temperature – which she said had been a worrying time for the family as he reacted to an antibiotic.

After being taken in with a temperature, Jude had a bad reaction to a the drug he was given. Within seconds he was coughing. He became unresponsive, his colour drained and he started to go blue.

Lucy said: “The nurse pushed the emergency button and within seconds there were around 20 people here attaching monitors, drawing up adrenaline, drawing up antihistamines, putting oxygen on him.

"I have never been so scared. I genuinely thought he was dying in my arms. Arron was in the parents’ room and could see and hear everyone rushing around and got to the room with his cast and crutches. I could just see his face behind everyone trying to help. At least I was able to hold Jude’s hand and know what was happening. He was like an outsider looking in.

“Just beyond thankful, again, for the NHS and its people.”

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Lucy is currently preparing to take part in a major fundraiser for the campaign – she has put herself forward to jump out of an aeroplane for the cause.

In September she is taking part in a skydiving challenge, jumping from a plane at 10,000ft. She is hoping it will raise £1,000 towards the target.

There have been a number of fundraisers for Jude recently, including a charity football match at St George’s Park, Thorncliffe, High Green, on August 14.

The 192nd Sheffield Brownies did a one hour sponsored silence and raised £452.50 for Jude’s campaign, and there is a fundraiser at Nether Green Working Mens Club, Killamarsh, on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Arron and a team of cyclists recently raised over £6,000 riding from Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough Stadium to MK Dons’ stadium in Milton Keynes.

However Arron is currently in a plaster cast – after damaging his achilles tendon in the charity match, in which Jude came on at the end to score the winning goal.

Donations can be made online by logging onto https://www.solvingkidscancer.org.uk/appeal/jude

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