More than £20,000 raised to help Kettering boy battling neuroblastoma

Donations are pouring in to help a Kettering boy who is battling a rare form of childhood cancer.

Three-year-old Sebastian Reid was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in July and has been in hospital since with his parents by his side.

He's undergone several rounds of intense chemotherapy and a 'Team Sebastian' page was set up to raise money for potential treatment abroad. And it's already raised more than £20,000, with money to be used to cover the costs of his full-time care when he returns home if it's not needed for treatment outside of the UK. Any funds left over will go to neuroblastoma research charities.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: DONATE HERE

Sebastian's aunt, Kirsty Reid-How, told the Northants Telegraph: "It's been really lovely to see so many people donating, despite most of them not knowing who he is.

"We cannot thank everybody enough for their support."

One generous anonymous person donated £1,281, with another anonymous donation of £1,000. Tottenham Hotspur donated a signed pennant which was auctioned off for £150 to boost the coffers and a fundraiser was planned to be held at The Men's Room in Kettering earlier this month but it had to be postponed because of the second national lockdown.

Up until this summer Sebastian was like most three-year-olds, playing with his toys and spending time with his mum and dad.

He was taken to Kettering General Hospital on July 4 after seeing GPs having been ill for a few weeks. His breathing was laboured and he had gone off his food.

Sebastian was then referred to Nottingham Children's Hospital at Queen's Medical Centre, but his family was left in shock by his diagnosis.

Kirsty, 42, said: "They thought at first that he might have had something like blood cancer.

"He went down for a biopsy and it came back and said he had neuroblastoma.

"It was the furthest thing from what we all thought it could be. Not one of us thought it was going to be that and it was a shock."

Neuroblastoma affects about 100 children each year in the UK and is most common in children under the age of five, but the cause is unknown. The early symptoms can be hard to spot, and it can easily be mistaken more common childhood illnesses.

Sebastian soon started having intense chemotherapy but, with the tumour putting so much pressure on his body he needed to be on a ventilator, he was sedated from July into August.

He had a tracheostomy to help with his rehabilitation, but it left him unable to speak until the end of September and he had to communicate through pointing and high fives. He is now quite quiet but can speak and respond.

Kirsty said: "He couldn't even make a crying noise. There was just tears falling down his face but no sound.

"It was horrible to see him so upset.

"Since he has started being able to speak the smile has come back to his face. At three-and-a-half you don't understand why you can't speak."

Sebastian, who has lost some hair through his treatment, will have to remember how to walk and stand up again and has an occupational therapist playing with him to help his recovery.

Kirsty said he's a "real character" and is playing with toys again, is enjoying cuddles and is adored by the nurses.

He's started the next stage of his chemotherapy and the cancer in his head and bones has got better, but the tumour in his abdomen is still too big to be operated on.

Family members have been in contact with Northamptonshire neuroblastoma charities Niamh's Next Step and Chelsea's Angels who have offered their support.

Coronavirus hospital visiting restrictions mean other members of Sebastian's family have been unable to visit him and have to communicate with him on FaceTime.

For now, there's no indication of when he may be able to return home with his treatment ongoing.

Kirsty said: "It's just a waiting game really."

To donate to help Sebastian, visit the fundraising page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/teamseb.

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