Shropshire Star

Appeal for Bridgnorth youngster reaches £200,000

A campaign to raise money for a brave youngster from Bridgnorth who is suffering with a rare form of cancer has hit the £200,000 mark.

Published
Rupert Beckett

Six-year-old Rupert Beckett was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was just two-and-a-half years old.

After receiving treatment on the NHS, his parents Edward and Sarah were told last year there was nothing more that could be done for their son.

Since February, the family along with friends and relatives have been raising money towards the £750,000 they need to send Rupert for treatment in Michigan, America.

More than a quarter of the funds needed have now been raised, with many more fundraising events lined up in the upcoming months to boost the Rupert’s Revenge campaign.

Rupert's aunt, Liz Beckett said: "We now have £202,000.

"It's the most unbelievable thing.

"We started off thinking this is impossible but we had no choice.

"To hit £200,000 after less than six months is astounding.

"It says a lot about Bridgnorth and the surrounding area, about how thoughtful people are and what a great community we live in.

"We are so thankful. The whole family really appreciates everything everybody has done."

She said Rupert recently had chemotherapy treatment at The Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and was doing well.

Ms Beckett said: "He's very well. He's just had some holding chemotherapy to keep his condition at bay. It has no positive or negative effect. It just hopefully stops the cancer progressing. "He bounces back all the time and he's a very little manic six-year-old boy."

Despite hitting the £200,000 fundraising mark, the full amount needs to be raised before Rupert will be able to go to America and start immunotherapy treatment – cancer treatment that stimulates the body's immune system to fight cancer.

Ms Beckett added: "Hopefully the drug will allow him to go into remission but we need to raise the full amount before he can go to Michigan."

Upcoming fundraising events for the campaign include a scooter bash at The Unicorn Inn, Hampton Loade, on Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, Wow Hair and Beauty in High Street, Bridgnorth, will be offering curls, plaits, glitter, nail paints and face paints in exchange for donations between 11am and 4pm.

Rupert’s Revenge will also have a stall at the Chorley Show on August 19.

On September 13, a golf tournament will be held at Astbury Hall, Chelmarsh, Bridgnorth, from 1pm.

Teams of four people can enter for £200 per team.

The event includes 18 holes of golf, bacon rolls, tea and coffee on arrival, a one-course meal, a raffle and auction.

For more information, or to donate to the campaign, visit www.rupertsrevenge.co.uk