An Aberdeen schoolboy who survived a rare form of cancer after finding a tumor on Christmas Eve has been revealed as the face of a charity’s new Christmas card appeal.
Nine-year-old Findlay Middleton is cancer free and back in school at Glashieburn Primary after being diagnosed with Burkitt’s non-Hodgkins Lymphoma last year.
Doctors found a tumour the size of a grapefruit in the schoolboy’s chest and his family were forced to spend Christmas in the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, 150miles from home, waiting for test results.
Throughout Findlay’s treatment, his family were supported by charity CLIC Sargent as the financial impact of travelling, parking and food costs began to mount up.
Parents Ross and Angela Middleton were assigned a social worker from the charity who gave emotional support, benefits advice and a financial grant.
Now Findlay has been revealed as the face of CLIC Sargent’s UK-wide Christmas campaign, Stop Cancer Costing Christmas.
Ross, 50, said: “I wouldn’t wish last Christmas on my worst enemy. Instead of opening presents, seeing family and enjoying Christmas dinner, we were in the hospital.
“CLIC Sargent helped us so much when Findlay was going through his treatment. We were just in survival mode and only reacting to the things right in front of us. CLIC Sargent helped us cope with problems on the horizon, while supporting us as we dealt with the situation.
“It has been wonderful to see Findlay getting his life back to normal, spending time with his brother and sister, and going back to school. We were really happy to hear that he would be the face of CLIC Sargent’s Christmas campaign, as it’s such an important topic.
“The financial impact of cancer is huge. Christmas is a time when parents want to treat their children, but there will be families out there who are worried about putting food on the table. We want them to get all of the support that we did.”
Rachel Kirby-Rider, director of income and engagement at CLIC Sargent said they are “delighted” to see how Findlay has recovered.
She added:“Christmas is expensive but if you have a child with cancer the additional costs seriously affect your ability to cope.
“We know that parents spend an extra £600 a month as a result of their child’s cancer treatment.
“We rely on donations to provide vital frontline services to these families, alleviating the financial cost and emotional strain of cancer, so that they can focus on spending time together.
“We hope as many people as possible support our campaign and help CLIC Sargent Stop Cancer Costing Christmas this year.”
