Legacy of a loving boy who ‘always had a smile on his face’
CHARITY SET UP IN JAMIE’S MEMORY SUPPORTS CHILDREN WITH TERMINAL ILLNESSES
A FAMILY have paid tribute to a “happy and cheeky” 12-year-old boy whose generosity led to the creation of a charity supporting young people with terminal illnesses.
Jamie Elsom was known for his positivity by his friends and family and was remembered for giving small gifts to the ones he loved during his lifetime.
He was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a type of cancer, when he was just 10 years old, and spent two years fighting the disease.
Jamie died on April 22 in 2019, leaving behind a family that is still heartbroken.
His sister Kerrie Brown, from Aspley, said her brother is still missed by the whole family, adding: “He was a very generous child, and always cared for his friends and family.
“I remember that before he died, he managed to go on a two-day trip to Scarborough.
“He brought me back a stick of rock from the trip. And inside the stick was written ‘sister.’
“I keep that stick as a trophy – it is in my cupboard and reminds me of him. He was just very generous and he wanted to leave a mark on everyone that he lost.”
Jamie, who lived in Heckington, Lincolnshire, used to go to Nottingham hospitals for his treatment.
He would be in the city five days a week, going to Queen’s Medical Centre for chemotherapy and then to the City Hospital for radiotherapy.
Kerrie’s pain is doubled by her son’s grief, who lost his best friend when Jamie passed away.
She added: “Eric and Jamie were like two peas in a pod.
“He was his best friend and they always had fun together.
“It still is hard for him to forget and accept the tragedy.”
The 34-year-old added: “During his treatment, he was given an Xbox from another small charity as a Christmas gift. But because Jamie spent so much time in hospital, he took the Xbox with him so that he could still maintain contact with his friends.
“The more unwell he got, the less he was able to see people – so it became his best friend.
“After that, he started to realise that his life was coming to an end. “And so he started to buy a lot for his friends and anyone.”
It was his generosity that later inspired his family to build a legacy for Jamie.
“He was always generous anyway but as he came to the end, he just wanted to make his friends happy,” Kerrie recollects. “So we just said after he passed away that we should keep that going, rarely, and try and help other people, because that’s what he was.” Forever12 is a charity that was set up in his honour after Jamie passed away. The non-profit organisation supports children in the East Midlands who suffer from severe or terminal illnesses. To honour Jamie’s loving nature and also raise money for other children with terminal illnesses, it will be holding a charity ball Ball on November 20 at Colwick Hall.
The charity was set up by his mum Donna Elsom, 49, who cannot explain in words how much she misses him: “He was just a loving boy who loved football and playing on his Xbox. “He always had a smile on his face.”
For more details on the Colwick Hall event, visit the charity’s Facebook group, Jamie #Forever12
He was always generous but as he came to the end, he just wanted to make his friends happy Kerrie Brown