Fundraiser for New Mills youngster with cancer tops £20,000

Harry’s mum, Becky Budd said she has been blown away by the support.

She said: “I feel like I’m living in a bubble, some days are good days and some days are bad days.

“But one thing that has blown me away is how much the community has supported us.”

A fundraiser was launched for Harry, the Manchester United superfan, just after the family received the news.

Since then there have been fundraisers and sponsored events and the total stands at £20,500 now.

Becky said: “You forget you are part of a community and people do care about you.

“It’s not just the money, I’ve had people knock on my door with tea cooked for the night so I have one less thing to worry about.

“It’s people who I have never spoken to before even though we live on the same street stopping to talk to me and asking how things are going and I can’t thank people enough.”

Becky, a mum-of-three, was working at M&Co but left in November when Harry started to get ill and says the money raised is a huge weight off her shoulders.

“It means I can be there for Harry completely and not have to worry about money for a whole.

“It really is life changing for us as a family.”

In the autumn and Becky remembers getting a phone call from her older daughter saying Harry, eight, was complaining of leg pain and could not walk to school and was crying.

“At first I thought he had hurt himself playing football but he kept complaining of this pain so we took him to the doctor who was brilliant.

“He said growing pains would be in both legs but Harry was only saying he had pain in one leg.”

The youngster, who plays for New Mills Youth Team, was taken to Stepping Hill for tests and after staying in for two weeks the biopsy results came back that Harry had cancer.

Becky said: “Nothing prepares you for those words.

“Harry knows he’s poorly but he doesn't know the extent of his illness.”

Harry has received treatment at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham and the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital to tackle his osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.

After ten rounds of chemotherapy he is due an operation in July.

Becky said: “Even after everything he has been through the smile never leaves his face.

“He is the joker he has always been.

“He misses his classmates though and asks to go back to school.”

Sophie Fryer who launched the fundraiser said: “No family should have to go through what the Budds are now facing into, and whilst there's little any of us can do to help medically, we can help relieve some of the financial burden this brings.”Becky added: “I know everyone is struggling at the moment as bills rise and the cost of food goes up but I just wanted to say thank you again to the whole community who has supported us.

“You are all wonderful.”

To donate to Harry’s fundraiser visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/harry-and-his-family