Family living in hope
Family expecting to hear news that NHS will fund treatment
The family of a brave six-year-old boy hope to be told that the NHS will pay for a £250,000 course of treatment to help him beat cancer.
The family of a brave six-yearold boy hope to be told that the NHS will pay for a £250,000 course of treatment to help him beat cancer.
Ilhan Ates-Suddes, who is battling a rare form of the disease, could be flown to America for an intensive course of proton beam therapy if a funding bid is successful.
It comes as fundraisers continue to raise cash to send the little lad to Disneyland Paris.
“With everything he’s going through he just deserves a well deserved treat,” said proud mum Margaret.
The youngster was first diagnosed with Fibrosarcoma two years ago. Since then, he’s gone through dozens of gruelling rounds of chemotherapy.
Now his family are hoping to hear some good news this week after applying for the NHS to fund the proton therapy.
The costly treatment isn’t available in the UK, and Margaret said the stateside treatment is more effective.
“It’s more targeted, causes less damage and there are just fewer side effects,” she said.
The course lasts nine weeks, which includes seven weeks of intense radiotherapy and a week of rest at the end of the gruelling course.
Margaret admits the course will be hard, but after watching her little boy battle cancer for two years - which has included 28 rounds of chemotherapy in 11 months - she said
“He’s been through the worst if it - surely there’s nothing worse than watching him go through chemotherapy,” she added.
And as his family and friends look at getting Ilhan better, they are all trying their best to make sure there’s something for him to look forward to at the end of his treatment.
To date, over £4,000 has flooded in to send the Disneymad youngster to Paris to meet his heroes.
Around £6,000 is needed, with the crippling cost of insuring poorly Ilhan bumping more than twice as much as the holiday itself.
Cash has poured in from chief fundraisers Sniper Bootcamps, while money’s been collected at the likes of Staxtonbury and Muston Scarecrow Festival.
At least £862 has been raised by Ilhan’s former nursery, Buckets and Spades, who hosted a week of sponsored walks to help make his dreams come true.
Children from five months to nearly five years took part in the coloured theme event including Ilhan’s little sister Hazal.
“We decided to raise money for Ilhan as he is very special to us,” said nursery manager Carly Macdonald.
“The walk was a huge success and I was overwhelmed with the support and generosity.”
That generosity has seen donations ranging from just a few pounds to thousands made through his GoFundMe page.
One Scarborough News reader even donated £600 of his own cash after being touched by Ilhan’s struggle.
And as Illhan looks to the future, his mum said that he’s looking forward to eventually going to meet Mickey and co hopefully cancer free.
“The treatment is hard but he’s doing fantastic at the minute,” said Margaret.
“But compared to how he was six months ago the improvement is incredible, he looked so poorly but now he looks incredible.”
To donate, please visit www. gofundme.com/tzy542t
‘He’s doing fantastically at the moment’ Margaret Ates Suddes Mum