South Yorkshire primary school raises funds for cancer-stricken ex-pupil

Harrison Walch, from Rotherham first made headlines in 2019 when the family found a potential stem cell donor that could give him a second chance of life after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Now 16, Harrison's battle with leukemia hit a bumpy road as the doctors once again detected cancer in his bone marrow last year.

Therefore, his former school Aston Hall Junior and Infant School decided to embark on a 10,000 steps challenge in order to raise money for the family and the cancer ward at Sheffield Children's Hospital.

One of the teachers in charge of the fundraising campaign, Michelle Hicks said the school started to raise money for the hospital and Harrison, who has been in and out of hospital for the past few years.

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She said the ward where Harrison is being treated is the last ward that needs revamping and redoing as part of the hospital's renovation work.

"We have raised £1700 already and we have sponsored a star for Christmas at the side of the hospital building.

"We have also raised £1000 by taking part in Bear of Sheffield and we are going to keep the fundraising going for the hospital throughout summer."

She said although she did not teach Harrison personally, the former pupil was known to be a "lovely boy" and always happy.

"We never had any problems with Harrison as he was always a good pupil. He is remembered by lots of our staff."

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Harrison's mum, Nickie Walch said Harrison underwent an umbilical cord transplant on October 1, 2020, in addition to the stem cell transplant on August 30, 2019.

"It's a slow recovery process...it takes a while to get the immune system to start working. We are now on the path waiting for him to become strong again because it takes a lot of him having the treatment," she said.

Nickie said an anonymous donor had come forward to donate the umbilical cord through their transplant consultant, Anthony Nolan charity.

"Hopefully he can get back to doing everything he loves to do like playing football," she said, further praising the fundraising campaign by her son's former school.

"I think the fundraising is really good for the cancer ward because it's not been refurbished yet and looking at facilities, they need all the fundraising they can get.

"The children on the cancer ward normally spend quite a lot of time in there so they need the right facilities," she said.

Nickie has been a strong advocate of the work of the Anthony Nolan charity, which supports people with blood cancer who need a transplant.

The charity also urges those aged between 16 and 30 and in good health to join the Anthony Nolan UK stem cell register, in order to donate their stem cells and save someone’s life.

Visit www.anthonynolan.org for more details.

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