Charity match raises £1,600 for twins' family
More than £1,600 has been raised at a charity football tournament for a family of twins after one died of a brain tumour and the other was diagnosed with leukaemia.
Hundreds of people attended the charity tournament at The 5s Pavilion in Hednesford on Saturday, to raids funds for Julie Parton, from Heath Hayes, and her family.
It comes after Ben Parton was diagnosed with a brain tumour in April last year and passed away in December after months of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and two operations.
Then just six weeks later his 12-year-old twin Jack was diagnosed with leukaemia and has since spent four weeks in Birmingham Children's Hospital having chemotherapy.
Lee Heath organised the event on Saturday, which he said was "absolutely incredible".
He said: "It went as smoothly as possible. All the children were so well-behaved and the stalls were all busy," he said.
"We also had about 60 prizes in a raffle and a cake stall."
Julie, 51, said Jack was discharged from hospital on Friday and will now have to have three years of treatment.
“In April last year Ben was diagnosed with a brain tumour, he had an operation then five weeks later it returned and he had a second surgery, then radiotherapy and two courses of chemotherapy," she said.
Mobility
“But it had spread in his brain and he died in December.
“Six weeks later Jack had an appointment at Birmingham Children’s Hospital as he hadn’t been very well.
“We were told on January 28 that Jack had leukaemia.
“We’ve had four-and-a-half weeks in hospital while Jack had chemotherapy and he came out of hospital this Friday just gone.
“His mobility is not very good at all now and he’s having to do a lot of relaxing.
“He’s got more treatment coming up next week. It’s going to be three years before he is done with the treatment.”
More than £3,000 was raised for Ben through a number of fundraising events so his family could treat him, and now almost £3,000 has also been raised for Jack too.
“Ben developed an expensive taste for Gucci, which is an expensive luxury,” Julie added. “There were a number of events for Ben and it went towards treats for him.
“Now the money being raised will go towards treats for Jack and family holidays.
“People have been so generous and so lovely to us, helping us with different things, it’s amazing how people have come together.”
To read more, or to donate, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/richardcarter15
