Gym team’s day of pain for Leo’s gain
GYM goers are set to carry out 150,000 exercises to help raise £150,000 for groundbreaking treatment for a seriously ill little boy.
Four-year-old Leo Bermejo was diagnosed with cancer when he was just two.
Since then he has had to endure three major brain surgeries to get rid of three tumours and five bouts of chemotherapy, but despite all the treatment two tumours have returned and Leo has also suffered a stroke and developed septicaemia.
Now the youngster’s family are trying to raise money so he can undergo a revolutionary treatment called proton beam therapy, which isn’t available in the UK yet and could save his life.
It is a much more targeted form of radiotherapy which will hopefully only target the tumours, meaning the side effects will be less aggressive.
They must raise £150,000 so Leo can travel to the United States for treatment, but are facing a race against time as it must be given as soon as possible after Leo’s latest surgery, which is taking place at Alder Hey Hospital this week.
The family are originally from the Isle of Man, but Leo’s mum has settled in Spain, while his uncle Sean Keefe is in Cheadle Hulme.
Sean owns Strength and Performance gym in Stockport, whose members have been closely following and supporting Leo since his cancer journey began less than 18 months ago.
Now Sean, his fellow coaches and gym members will embark on a gruelling day of exercises to help raise money to get Leo to Oklahoma in the US for treatment.
It will see then take on 150,000 repetitions of exercises including bench presses, squats, deadlifts, kettle bell swings, more.
Sean said: “A day of pain for the S&P team is nothing compared to what Leo has faced already in his short life.”
Mum Karen Keefe added: “Leo cannot walk, has hardly any movement in his right side and has lost his speech but he is the happiest and most determined little boy ever.”
The event will take place on Saturday (February 18) from 8am until 4pm at the gym, which is in Meadow Mill on Water Street. To donate money to help get Leo to the States for treatment visit gofundme.com/leothelion3. burpees and