A DARTON family have raised £2,000 as a thank you to the charity that helped them deal with their son’s awful cancer diagnosis.
The Otlewskis have been raising money throughout the last 12 months for Young Lives vs Cancer following the cancer diagnosis of their 13-year-old son, Jakub.
The family took the challenge, both of the diagnosis and fundraising head on, with money heading to the charity who have been supporting them.
They signed up to take part in virtual challenges such as Run 50 Miles in June and the charity’s 100 Miles in March challenge.
Whilst out completing their challenges, Jakub’s mum, Jolanta, would pass her local SPAR in Kexborough where staff would cheer her on.
When the staff there learned more about Jakub’s diagnosis, they teamed up with the family to host various bake sales in their store to support the cause further.
Jolanta said: “Jakub approached me one day and said that he thought it would be a great idea for us to fundraise for Young Lives vs Cancer to give back for the support that we received.
“As soon as he mentioned this, I thought it was such a brilliant idea.
“Young Lives vs Cancer did so much for Jakub and our whole family.
“It was them that gave us financial support and they were always available for a chat.
“They offer so much to families like ours.
“This is the reason why I raised funds for this amazing charity to spread a message of hope to many families: You are not alone. You can count on support.”
Jakub and the family have been receving help from the charity’s specialist social workers to provide day-to-day support for each child, young person and family.
Thankfully Jakub got the perfect early Christmas present when he got to ring the bell to signal the end of his treatment in December.
He’s now in remission but receives regular check-ups.
Jolanta added: “The treatment was very difficult - after the second cycle of chemotherapy, Jakub developed sepsis, heart damage, severe neuropathy, and ulcers in his mouth, which prevented him from eating or drinking for a long time.
“However, his determination and the smile on his face, despite the pain, allowed him to win the hardest battle of his life.
“Despite the side effects of treatment, neuropathy that limits his movements, stretch marks all over his body, and scars, our son sets a perfect example for us that we must fight, believe and not give up.
“He will always be our hero and a great role model for a great man.”
Krissa Ford, Young Lives vs Cancer’s fundraising engagement manager for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “We rely on donations to fund our vital work and so we can’t thank Jakub, Jolanta, Adrian and all the family enough for their fantastic efforts and for the whole community who got behind them to show their support.
“Their support means Young Lives vs Cancer will be able to help even more young people with cancer to get the right support when they need it most.”
