Major milestone reached as £1 million raised to help send poorly Shropshire infant to the US for life-saving surgery
A staggering one million pounds has been raised to help send a one-year-old boy from Shropshire to America for life-saving heart surgery.
The fundraising appeal for Ollie Williams, launched by his mum Jasmin Roberts from Gobowen, has continued to receive an extraordinary outpouring of support in recent days.
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The fundraiser, which aims to raise £1.5 million to cover the cost of surgery in the United States, passed the £1 million mark at around 2.15pm today (October 29).
Last Thursday, the total stood at around £300,000, boosted by a £10,000 donation from Hollywood actor and Wrexham AFC co-owner Ryan Reynolds. Since then, donations have surged by more than £700,000, putting the campaign within touching distance of its target.
More than 51,000 donations have been made so far, including significant contributions from Deadpool star Reynolds, Leigh Rivers, Applied Nutrition, and an anonymous donor who gave £15,000, described by Jasmin as an "angel".
Ollie was diagnosed with a very rare and complex heart condition just two weeks after birth - one so rare that hospitals in the UK are unable to perform the surgery he needs. However, Stanford Children’s Hospital in California has agreed to carry out the procedure.
Jasmin said the hospital has confirmed that once the fundraiser reaches 75 per cent of its goal, they can book Ollie's surgery and begin preparing travel and medical arrangements.
In an update shared on Monday, Jasmin expressed her gratitude to everyone supporting the campaign, saying: "Since starting this campaign, we’ve gone viral multiple times, been featured in countless news outlets, and even caught the attention of celebrities. There is now an entire army fighting for Ollie, and I’m endlessly grateful.
"Now for the really big news: Stanford has told us that as soon as we hit 75 per cent, we can book Ollie’s surgery. This doesn’t mean the surgery will happen at 75 per cent, but it means we can get everything moving - flights, visas, pre-surgery admin, so that the moment we hit 100 per cent, we’re ready to go. No delays. No waiting. Just action.
"We are running out of time, but we are not running out of fight. Please, keep sharing, donating, and talking about Ollie. Every single pound, every single repost, every single kind word is helping save his life.
"Let’s get to 75 per cent. Let’s book that surgery. Let’s get Ollie to Stanford. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
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