Wigglesworth boy Jack, 3, inspires fundraisers (From Craven Herald)

Wigglesworth boy Jack, 3, inspires fundraisers

8:00am Friday 7th September 2012 in News

The family of a three-year-old Wigglesworth boy diagnosed with a brain tumour face an agonising wait to find out if life-saving treatment has worked.

Jack Lambert developed an aggressive cancer of the brain, medulloblastoma, when he was just 20 months old and was given the all-clear after intensive chemotherapy.

However, in June, his parents, Jen and Rob Lambert, were told the cancer had spread to Jack’s spine and a course of radiotherapy was his only option.

He has now started six weeks of treatment at Leeds General Infirmary Family and friends have rallied round, including his older brother James, five, who has accompanied him on his daily visit to hospital.

Now they have launched an awareness campaign and hope to raise £5,000 for the Brain Tumour Research and Support charity.

Their message has already spread to Hawaii, Marbella and Ireland after specially designed support ribbons were created by family friend Sarah Kynaston.

Jen, 31, who grew up in Slaidburn, said the family were taking things one day at a time, but remained positive.

“Jack has been so brave,” she said. “I can’t believe how well he has coped with it. After they removed the tumour, doctors said that there was an 80 per cent chance of it coming back in another part of his body. We tried not to think about it.

“Because he already had the maximum amount of chemotherapy that he could have, radiotherapy was the only thing they could give him for the tumours on his spine. We have to wait 12 weeks to find out if the radiotherapy works.”

Jen and Rob, 37, who grew up in Barnoldswick , first noticed something was wrong when Jack started vomiting every morning and became unsteady on his feet.

After repeated trips to the doctors, he was referred to Airedale where brain scans revealed a large tumour. He was sent to Leeds General Infirmary where he underwent a 10-hour operation, followed by six months of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.

He had the all-clear for 18 months until June when scans showed that he had secondary cancer in his spine.

Jen said: “Our friends have been fantastic and have taken over the fundraising. We originally had a target of £500 but have raised nearly £2,500, so now we have raised it to £5,000.

“My friend Sarah Kynaston has made ribbons for which we are asking a suggested donation of £1. She originally made 100 but demand for them has been so great that she has made a further 700.”

Sarah, together with Kathryn Booth and Lorraine Oliver, have also launched a Facebook page called Jack’s Journey.

Sarah said: “The family have just been amazing with the way they have coped with everything. Regardless of everything they have been through they still want to help other people.”

And, as part of the fundraising campaign, the Olympic torch visited The Play Barn, at Settle , last Wednesday.

Jack could not attend the event - which raised £320 - as routine blood tests the previous day revealed his red blood count was low and he needed a blood transfusion.

But he didn’t miss out as Rachel Wilson from Brain Tumour Research and Support took the torch to Jack and his family at the hospital in Leeds.

Meanwhile ribbons can be obtained from The Play Barn, Dalehead Veterinary Group, Settle, the café at Gisburn Auction Mart and the old vicarage tea room in Tosside.

To make a donation, visit justgiving.com/lorraine-oliver