'Determined’ Luke walks five miles for cancer hospital
Published: 16:31, 27 March 2012
A youngster completed a sponsored walk with his family – just two months after being given the all clear from cancer.
Luke Haddon walked the entire five-mile distance despite the fact he is still undergoing physiotherapy after beating the disease.
The 12-year-old, of The Broadway, Minster, and eight of his relatives raised £900 on their Just Giving webpage, with a further £500 expected to come from sponsorship forms.
Luke’s mum, Sarah Haddon, said: “He was so determined to walk it. He had to keep stopping and it took him quite a while because he gets tired easily.
“He is having physiotherapy because of the reaction to the chemo and he still gets ever so much pain in his legs.
“He sometimes cannot get out of bed, so that just shows how determined he was.”
The money raised will go towards The Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton.
Sarah, 38, said: “It just makes us feel good because we can give back to the hospital where Luke was treated. It is good for our souls.
“This meant a lot to Luke because he had very special care there and he feels good about it as well.”
Luke was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in February 2011 and had tumours from his neck to his groin.
He underwent six months of chemotherapy and four weeks of radiotherapy, during which time he turned 12.
The youngster, who goes to Sittingbourne’s Fulston Manor school, was given the all clear in January, which his mother said was “fantastic”.
Luke was supported by his sisters Phoebe and Bethany, his cousins Claudia and Tom, mum Sarah, dad Brian, and aunty and uncle Beverley and Brian .
They walked between the Royal Marsden Hospital’s sites in Fulham Road, Chelsea, and Downs Road, Sutton.
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