Holidays in memory of brave Harry
THE family of a little boy with a passion for football and wrestling are giving free holidays to children with cancer in his memory.
Harry Griffin-Brown, of Station Road, Reddish, passed away on May 24, 2015, 11 days after his ninth birthday.
The former St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School pupil had battled neuroblastoma for five years, going into remission twice, only for the disease to return.
Now Harry’s dad, Darren Griffin and mum, Carol Brown, run Harry’s Holiday Hangout, a charity which provides free holidays in a static caravan in Blackpool for young cancer sufferers and their families.
Darren said: “Harry was your typical cheeky, happy nine-year-old. He was a mad Manchester United fan and his second biggest love was WWE.
“He fought the neuroblastoma from just before his fifth birthday. He went into remission 12 to 18 months later and again after that. When he relapsed a third time we knew we were fighting a never-ending battle.
“We said ‘we’re never going to cure it.’ We stopped the blood transfusions and soon after he passed away.”
Darren and Carol, who also have a daughter, nineyear-old Alana, set up Harry’s Holiday Hangouts because Harry ‘always wanted to help other children.’
Darren added: “Some good came out of it. The static caravan is special, because Harry stayed in it four times.
“I went on Gumtree and I thought ‘I recognise that.’ I just said ‘take it off sale, our charity’s going to buy it.’”
In the past two years, Harry’s Holiday Hangout has given holidays to more than 100 children and Darren says it is ‘going from strength to strength.’
John Royle, Harry’s godfather, who lives on Longford Road West in Reddish, said: “Memories are made for what could be a short lifetime.
“It’s been going for two years and we hold fundraising events through the year. Last year a Halloween disco raised more than £1,000.”
This year another disco will be held at Houldsworth Working Men’s Club on Friday, October 26, from 6pm. Tickets cost £3.50, available from Flower Land in Reddish and Harry’s Holiday Hangout on Facebook.
Darren said: “We set out hoping to make one child with cancer smile, now we have done that for more than 100.”