Theo Hamilton, an 11-year-old from Wigan, has relapsed for a third time after a long battle with leukaemia, prompting his best friend Harvey to launch a month-long fundraising challenge called '30 for Theo' to raise awareness of childhood cancer and encourage stem cell donations.
Theo first showed symptoms after falling from a trampoline, when he began limping, sweating profusely at night, and becoming incredibly tired. Mysterious bruises also appeared on his body, leading nursery workers to question his parents. His mother, Katt Hamilton, said she was repeatedly dismissed and told she was "overreacting" when she took him to hospital.
Diagnosis and Treatment Journey
After being sent home, Katt noticed a rash that would not fade when a glass was rolled over it. Suspecting meningitis, the family rushed to Wigan Hospital, where Theo was transferred to a Manchester hospital and admitted to the oncology department. He was diagnosed with leukaemia at age three.
Theo underwent CAR T-cell therapy and a bone marrow transplant, eventually becoming cancer-free, but relapsed twice at ages five and seven. Now, three and a half years later, he has relapsed for the third time at age 11. "You never want to hear that sort of news once, let alone four times," Katt said.
Friend's Fundraising Challenge
Harvey and his mother Anna Stockley, a nurse at Wigan Teaching Hospital, decided to help after Harvey was unable to contact Theo while he was in hospital. Harvey undertook one challenge a day for a month, sharing his journey on social media to encourage people to sign up as stem cell donors and raise money for the family.
Anna said: "We just want to help in any way we can. It's something we know is making Theo happy with the silly challenges, but if we can just get people to sign up to be donors and raise money then that would be incredible."
Current Situation and Next Steps
The recent CAR T-cell therapy has only partially worked, leaving the family with two options: another bone marrow transplant or proceeding without one, which could make any infection fatal. The family decided to move forward with the transplant after a week of chemotherapy. The donation came from a woman in Israel.
Theo is now in isolation in hospital, unable to move up to Year 7 with his friends. Harvey visited him in a dinosaur costume on the final day of the challenge, seeing him through the hospital window. Katt said: "Theo is just so lucky to have a friend like Harvey. He loved the videos, and it gives him a bit of a giggle. To see him laugh is just priceless."
