PARENTS of a two-year-old boy with leukemia are holding a family fun day in Cirencester to fundraise for the charities that have helped them and their baby boy.
Benjamin Smith was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in July last year, when he was just a one-year-old baby.
Since then, the family from Chesterton have received support from cancer support charities Calm, Macmillan Cancer Support and CLIC Sargent, and they are hoping to give back to the charities with a fun day fundraiser.
The event will be held on September 4 from 10am to 6pm at the Corinium Stadium in Kingshill Lane GL7 1HS.
The fun day will feature a stage with live bands, a coach drivers football match, a raffle, a coconut shy, a bouncy castle, a tombola, zorb balls, and a range of stalls with games and food.
Benjamin’s mother Claire Smith said all three cancer charities had been supporting the family from day one: “In July, we had a holiday booked and CLIC Sargent helped us get a refund on our holiday due to a some difficulties.
“This is our way of giving something back so these charities can continue helping other families in similar situations.
“We, as a family, don’t get to plan anything, Holidays are touch and go. We went on holiday one time but had to come back early.
“Everyday life is simple and normal for everyone, but we have to put Benjamin first. Because his immune system is affected, everyday things like going to the supermarket or the park as a family is a no go for us.”
Benjamin’s condition has stunted his development in his walking and speech, and because his immune system is affected, there are days when he is generally unwell and refuses to eat and drink.
He is also required to have chemotherapy everyday, which makes it hard for the family with three other children aged 16, 11 and 5, who have to be divided between other family members.
The two-year-old has had five blood transfusions in the past year and has been treated at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
He is on his fifth stage of chemotherapy which will last until December 2018.
Claire said: “Hopefully, by December 2018 we will get an all clear and he will be a normal boy.
“I’m hoping this condition won’t affect him growing up because he’s so young, although there are going to be some things that have happened in his life that is going to ping back his memory.”
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