A family from Devon have had to relocate to Manchester in order to treat their nine-year-old boy's bone cancer. Jack Middleton, a young motocross star, is being cared for in the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.
Now, the Middletons will have to self-fund a lifesaving operation in Austria for Jack, which is not available on the NHS. The Brixham lad will also lose a leg but doctors are hopeful the pioneering drug therapy will save his life.
The family already have raised £100,000 for the surgery - but need to find another £150,000 to buy a special prosthetic leg so Jack can continue his motocross racing. On top of all this, Jack contracted both MRSA and Covid while he underwent chemo and radiotherapy and lost all his hair, DevonLive reports.
Jack is one of three brothers, along with Harry, six, and 18-month-old baby Jake. His younger brother Harry has also chosen to shave his head to support his brave sibling.
Still, parents Paul and Stacey Middleton have been knocked sideways as they fight to care for their boy. Mobile hairdresser Stacey's successful wedding business has ground to a halt and gas engineer Paul is now working in Manchester. Now a decision has been made to fly Jack over to the Medaustron Clinic in Wiener, Austria, where his leg will be removed below the knee on July 4. Dr Piero Fossati, a pioneering cancer specialist, is hopeful that revolutionary drug therapy will save Jack's life.
Paul said: "All I wish is that I could swap places with him. The children's hospital have been brilliant but resources are capped. I have spoken to the doctor in Austria and he's very hopeful that we are catching it in time. It's not going to save his leg but if it saves his life...
"I can't believe in this day and age that we can't get this in the UK. In Manchester all they can offer is more chemo and more radiotherapy - that's what he's been having since January and it's not done a damn thing. It's knocked him for six. He's lost all his lovely hair. He was upset about that so Harry, who's six, wanted to go and have his shaved off as well. We've got two baldy boys now."
The family set up a GoFundMe page to help them with Jack's fight against bone cancer and his rehab journey. "We've never claimed a penny off the state," they said in a statement. "We've both always worked since we left school. If we needed anything we've saved or done without. We feel so embarrassed to be begging to people for money.
"With family and using all our savings we've got the money together for the operation. But we need £155,000 for the prosthetic sports leg he needs so that he will be able to pursue his career in motocross. That's the one thing that's keeping him going."
Jack's fight against bone cancer began on January, 19 2022 when he was taking part in a motocross competition and was involved in a collision with another bike. The family hobby is running their own 'Middleton Brothers' motocross team. Jack was taken to A&E at Torbay Hospital and an X-ray showed a fracture on his lower right leg.
But medics spotted something wasn't right on the X-ray and tests showed an abnormality. The next think the family knew Stacey and Jack were being blue-lighted up the motorway to the Royal Manchester children's hospital hundreds of miles away with Paul following behind by car.
Paul said: "The next 48 hours were a whirlwind until we were told Jack had osteosarcoma proximal (bone cancer) in his right tibia. We can't tell you what went through our minds - it felt like our guts had been twisted around and ripped out."
Ever since the family's life has been on hold. They have all had to move to Manchester to be near Jack during his treatment. Stacey's business as a mobile hairdresser, mostly for weddings, has ground to a halt and she has lost thousands of pounds. Paul works as a gas engineer for E.on and has been able to transfer within the nationwide company and carry on working in Manchester.
Paul said: "Over the last few months our little soldier has battled through courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. He contracted MRSE and Covid but continues to this day to battle on through. Jack lost all his hair in March he was gutted. We've assured him it will grow back thicker than ever. On May 15 we were both called to a meeting with consultants from the Royal Manchester and told Jack's cancer was spreading and they needed to amputate above his knee. And further to be told the only options available on the NHS was more chemotherapy.
"We asked the question of survival rates and were told between 60 per cent and 80 per cent. Also we were told about a specialised clinic in Austria which offered alternatives - however this is self funding. We agreed as a family we had to try anything to save our boy's life. A meeting was set up for Monday June 6 via video link at the Royal Manchester in which a decision was made to get Jack over to the Medaustron clinic in Wiener, Austria at the earliest possible time.
"Dr Piero Fossati a pioneering cancer specialist has been back in touch and he will fly out with Stacey on July 1 with surgery commencing to remove Jack's right leg on the 4th July 2022. Then a further eight to nine weeks will be required to be over there to complete the course of treatment. Our little soldier is gutted and all he keeps asking is if he will ride and compete again in motocross trials which is his and his brother Harry's passion.
"We have today received a quote for a genuine X3 pro carve ottobock prosthesis leg used in specialised sports coming out at £137,000. That's on top of the £129,000 for the treatment and overseas stay. We as a family have always worked from leaving school for what we have. We've never claimed off the state for anything.
"And I can tell you this from the bottom of our hearts I'm so embarrassed to have to beg for help but we're left with no options. We're down to one wage coming in as Stacey has had to put her business on hold for now to tend for Jack's needs. Our families are behind us with as much help and funding as they could manage. It just simply isn't enough."
The family said: "Please please if you could find it in your hearts to help us through this nightmare we will be forever in your debt. Anyone who wants to get involved with our campaign please email us at: paulstaceyjomiddleton@gmail.com or on the GoFundMe page here
The family later added: "We've had an email this morning from Jet2 confirming that they will be supplying the flights over to Salzburg in Austria for the three of us - this was a shock, but at the same time brilliant news."
