Students raise cash to give Alex support
GENEROUS students from Kibworth High School have raised more than £1,600 for a Fleckney youngster who had a life-saving brain operation in Florida.
Pupils from the school, in Smeeton Road, took part in various fundraising activities including a sponsored bike ride, cake and smoothie sales, car-washing and hair-braiding to help five-year-old Alex Barnes.
Alex, who lives in Edward Road with mum Ros, dad Paul and eight-year-old sister Felicity, spent four months in America last year having a brain tumour removed and specialist after-care using innovative medical procedures not available in the UK.
He was able to have ‘proton’ treatment – where a radiation beam is aimed at tiny metal balls embedded in the head to kill cancer cells – at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, in Jacksonville, Florida, after well-wishers raised 40,000 in a week.
The students at Kibworth raised a further 1,633.60 in a year-long fundraising drive for the family and last Tuesday Year 9 pupils handed a cheque to Alex, sister Felicity and mum Ros during an assembly.
Cash raised by the students is being put towards a return trip for the family to Florida where more doctors’ appointments are scheduled as well as some fun activities for Alex during a two-week tour of the Sunshine State.
Mrs Barnes said: “It’s absolutely fantastic what the students have done. It’s great they have all worked hard for someone in the community.” The family jetted off yesterday.
In a letter to pupils, Ros said: “I am pleased to tell you that Alex has had another clear MRI scan showing no signs of any cancer. Alex has amazed doctors in England with the fact that he suffers no side-effects whatsoever, either from the brain operations he has had or from the proton therapy.”
Diane Render, a pastoral support administrator at the school, said: “Staff and students wish Alex and his family the very best for the future.”
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Monday 21 May 2012
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