A SCHOOLBOY “keeps smiling” as he awaits a critical proton beam therapy that his family hopes will help him to overcome a rare form of childhood cancer.
Alfie Patrick, 13, has already been through five rounds of chemotherapy for a neuroblastoma and is now due to undergo three weeks of the advanced procedure at The Christie NHS centre in Manchester.
The teenager, from Dines Green in Worcester, has also been through a 10-hour operation in Birmingham and will need further chemotherapy later down the line.
Alfie, his parents Jon and Shireen, both 35, and two brothers, Jack and Finn, are relocating to Manchester while he takes a critical step in his fight for survival.
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UPBEAT: Alfie Patrick has remained positive throughout his long treatment for cancer (Image: Jon Patrick/GoFundMe)
The Arsenal fan has stayed buoyant and his family has been lifted by the response to a GoFundMe appeal to help them with the spiralling costs of supporting him.
“Alfie’s doing really well, he finished his last lot of chemotherapy on Friday,” Mr Patrick said.
“He’s always smiling, he takes everything in his stride and he’s a very happy-go-lucky child.
“He hasn’t got down as some kids and adults would, he just takes everything as it comes.”
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BROTHERS: Alfie Patrick with siblings Finn (centre) and Jack (Image: Jon Patrick/GoFundMe)
Mr Patrick said that while Alfie has been put on the right path by his “fantastic” treatment at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Worcestershire Royal Hospital, the tumour did not react to the chemotherapy in the way medics had hoped.
The proton beam radiotherapy has since been brought forward by several weeks after the cancer was found to have spread to his lymph nodes.
“We’ve been told that the proton beam therapy will level the playing field in Alfie’s favour,” Mr Patrick said.
“The therapy is only available in London and Manchester and its biggest plus is how accurate and effective it is at targeting the right cells and avoiding the organs around them.
“They are banking on it working by stopping the cancer from spreading, and basically saving Alfie.”
SUPPORT: Alfie Patrick with his dad Jon (Image: Jon Patrick/GoFundMe)
Jon, a toolshop worker, and Shireen, a retail salesperson, are relocating to Manchester for three weeks from August 10 and taking unpaid leave after exhausting their allocated time off while supporting their son.
The GoFundMe appeal will support the family’s living costs during a treatment process expected to last another year, with Alfie due to undergo more chemotherapy in Birmingham.
“The response has been overwhelming,” Mr Patrick said of the appeal.
“We’ve been blown away by the kindness and support of people around Worcestershire.
“You would never think that people, including some who we’ve never met before, would rally round like they have.
“Other people have just shared the story and sent us little supportive messages, which mean the world to us.
“We’re just grateful for all the support and love.”
The family also wants to raise awareness of the fact that neuroblastoma, which typically affects children under the age of five, can happen at an older age.
To donate visit: www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-alfie-and-his-family-through-his-cancer-treatment