A SCHOOLBOY battling cancer has delivered a sack-ful of goodies to youngsters fighting for their lives.
Robbie Young used his creative talents to raise £1,500 to buy toys for the Children’s Cancer Unit at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.
The 11-year-old is receiving treatment at the unit after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, last October.
Undeterred after being given the news, he started to make Christmas trees out of sweets, which he raffled off to friends and family.
Yesterday, the South Shields Community School pupil handed over toys and gadgets he bought with the proceeds to RVI medical staff for kids to use during their stay on the ward.
Among the items were portable DVD players, TV and DVD combos, DVDs and arts goodies.
His mum, Trisha Oley, 48, from Copley Avenue, Whiteleas, South Shields, said: “Robbie was really excited to have been taking everything up to the unit. The staff on the ward were really pleased and couldn’t believe the amount of stuff we took up.
“It was just amazing to see the end result of what Robbie has done, in what was such a short space of time. He was home three days over Christmas and that’s when he did all the work.
“It made me so proud of Robbie when I saw how much it meant to youngsters on the ward.”
Robbie said: “I want to say thank you to all the businesses who donated to the raffle, everyone who bought tickets, everyone who helped to sell them and my cousin, Paul Vickers, for helping to organise it and help me raise the money to buy things for the ward.
“I also want to say thank you to Tommy the Trumpeter who sent me a card and present while I was in hospital.”
Robbie was diagnosed after he had a series of blood tests because he was unusually tired. Doctors thought he may have anaemia.
But more tests revealed he was suffering from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system.
About 80 children of all ages develop the disease in the UK each year and it is more common in boys than girls. The causes of the disease are largely unknown.
Sister Sara Donoghue said: “Despite having to stay in hospital and the treatment being challenging, Robbie is incredibly thoughtful and creative and thinks of everyone.
“He made gifts for everyone at Christmas and for Valentine’s Day – he is just fantastic.”
Robbie would also like to thank Jane and Ernie Whitfield and Kevin and Tracy Pryor, who both donated £200, Forest View Primary School, who donated £65, Temple Park Panthers Football Club and Janet Mizen’s Slimming Club, who both collected £110, and Diamond Business Systems, who collected £50.
He also thanked South Shields Community School and town businesses Rashuni, Thai Central, Swainstons Sweethearts and the Dunes Bowling Alley.
Twitter: @shieldsgazlisa
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