Thousands go 'Orange For Sebastian' as fundraiser for Kettering schoolboy battling neuroblastoma

Thousands of people across north Northamptonshire and beyond will be donning orange today (Friday, November 10) to fundraise for a Kettering boy battling a rare childhood cancer.

Sebastian Nunney has been living with neuroblastoma for more than half his life and although still responding to chemotherapy, his parents Gregg and Lindsay are searching for life-saving treatment abroad.

So far supporters from across the UK have generously donated £80,159 to the Team Sebastian GoFundMe page to enable six-year-old Seb get any available treatment without delay.

Schools, businesses and residents across north Northamptonshire will today wear something orange and donate to help Sebastian reach his £250,000 target.

Dad Gregg said: “If we can get the whole of north Northamptonshire dressing in orange then it would be a real sign of unity and the community coming together."

Seb’s school Brambleside Primary held the first Go Orange Day last summer and today will be joined by schools and academies including Latimer, Compass, Hall Meadow, St Peter’s, Buccleuch, Park Junior, Millbrook Junior, Geddington CE Primary, St Brendan’s Primary, St Andrews CE Primary, Barton Seagrave Primary, Irthlingborough Junior, Hayfield Cross and Kingsley Special Academy.

Nursery children and staff will also be going orange including Busy Bees in Kettering, Little Ducklings Day Care and Pen Green Nursery in Corby where Seb’s mum Lindsay works.

Other businesses and organisations signed up include St Mary's Hospital, Starlight Dance, the Midland Band Social Club, Kettering Rugby Football Club, T James Electrical, eServe, The Yards, Brambleside Roofing Ltd, Kettering Scaffolding, North Northants SEND IASS and the Northants Telegraph.

Mayor of Kettering Cllr Emily Fedorowycz has also added her support to the orange day.

She said: “What they have already raised so far is amazing and it just goes to show what people can do if they come together. There’s so much to life that comes down to money and we have a chance to save his life together.”

Gregg and Lindsay are pinning their hopes on Sebastian being well enough to start the Beacon II medical trial in the UK in early 2024. They are waiting to hear back from the hospital in Rome to see if Sebastian is a candidate for their treatment - keeping the options for Seb open.

Gregg added: “We need to keep pushing towards our £250,000 target. Be loud! Be proud! Be orange!”

Anyone who would like to support any of the other fundraising events can go to Team Sebastian Instagram – teamsebastian2017 – or the Team Sebastian GoFundMe page.

Six-year-old Sebastian has been battling neuroblastoma for more than three years, receiving treatment at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Neuroblastoma is a rare cancer that affects children, mostly under the age of five. Around 100 children in the UK are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year. It develops in early nerve cells called neuroblasts, quite often starting in the abdomen. It’s the most common solid tumour in children that occurs outside of the brain and makes up six per cent of the total number of children’s cancers in the UK.