I'm hoping to complete the Etape Pennines (a 78 mile cycle sportive which includes way more hills than I can cope with) on 7 October and want to raise some money in the process for a massively deserving cause. I'd been struggling to pick a charity, but then was made aware of this appeal through a friend at work. Full details about this cause are below (and more information is available at http://www.keepjamiesmiling.com/ and http://www.childrenscancer.org.uk/our-appeals/jamie.php), I genuinely can't think there could be a better reason to be raising money. Every penny will be massively appreciated. 

Jamie Inglis was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma in 2009, when he was just 4 years old. Jamie immediately began treatment in Dusseldorf, Germany, where the family were stationed with the Royal Army Medical Corp. Jamie battled through chemotherapy, pneumonia, sepsis, surgery, high dose chemotherapy, a stem cell harvest, and a stem cell transplant in Dusseldorf, Germany. Jamie then joined an antibody trial in America to target the minimal residual disease with the hope of increasing his chances.

In March 2010 Jamie, with his parents John and Vicky and little sister Poppy, left the UK for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia after fundraising for the treatment costs with the support of their local communities in the UK and Germany. Jamie's treatment in Philadelphia began with 12 rounds of radiotherapy before beginning the antibody treatment. At this time, Jamie's scans and bone marrow biopsies showed no evidence of neuroblastoma.

Brave Jamie had five rounds of antibody treatment at CHOP and suffered many side effects – shingles from the chemotherapy, an allergic reaction, fluid in the lungs, low unstable blood pressure, swollen lips, high temperatures, an ear infection, slow heart rate, dehydration and a hernia in his abdomen as a result of previous surgery.

Throughout the antibody treatment, Jamie had testing which showed that he was clear of neuroblastoma. He returned to the US a few months later for follow up tests which were also found to be clear. The Inglis family moved back to York in the UK in 2010, and tried to get life back on an even keel for Jamie and his little sister Poppy.

However, in March 2012, Jamie became unwell which was initially thought to be due to a chest infection. After suffering acute back pain for a week and following four visits to hospital, Jamie suddenly lost the use of his legs and bladder. An MRI scan immediately identified a 2.5cm tumour on his spine that had affected his bladder function and ability to walk. Jamie was rushed into emergency surgery the same afternoon, and doctors successfully removed the tumour. The neuroblastoma had come back.

Jamie spent over a week recovering and is now having physiotherapy to learn how to walk again. Tests following the surgery gave the Inglis family hope – Jamie does not have any neuroblastoma in his bone marrow and the MIBG scan is clear. There is a suspicious lesion on one of his ribs that requires further investigation.

As we do not have any relapse protocols in the UK, John and Vicky plan to take Jamie to Germany for a Haploidentical Stem Cell transplant. 

This treatment will not be funded by the NHS which is why Jamie needs your help. The therapy Jamie requires (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) is likely to cost around £250,000.

Please give as much as you can afford to help save Jamie and other children like him. Every donation for Jamie, no matter how small, helps.

John and Vicky said, "Jamie will be seven in August. He is a brave, happy boy who loves school and his little sister Poppy. He deserves the best chance of a full and long life. Please help us to give him that chance and the hope that he can beat this again."