Kind-hearted schoolboy, 7, to embark on 'wheely' big challenge for Olivia
A kind-hearted schoolboy is set to use pedal-power to raise money for a two-year-old with an incredibly rare illness.
Olivia Volley, from Marshchapel, suffers with an incredibly rare syndrome called Sideroblastic anemia with B-cell immunodeficiency, periodic fevers, and developmental delay (SIFD), an autosomal recessive syndromic disorder of which there are just 58 known cases world-wide and 20 current cases.
Olivia has been in and out of hospital numerous times during her short life, and in April this year, is due to have a course of chemotherapy before having a stem cell transplant.
Olivia will have to isolate in hospital for four to six months before her transplant and then again for four to six months after.
Kelsey Gittens, of Binbrook, heard of Olivia’s illness through friends, and wanted to fundraise for Olivia and her family, and when she explained to her son Callum Knights, 7, what she was doing, he decided he wanted to help as well.
"He announced first that he wanted to do a 100-mile bike ride, but luckily we managed to persuade him down to 10 – thankfully, as we’re doing it with him!” Kelsey laughed.
Callum originally planned to raise £200 for Olivia, but now his original target has already been raised and he wants to raise even more:
"He said ‘wouldn’t it be amazing if we raised £1,000 for Olivia?’ so now that’s what we’re aiming for,” Kelsey said, “He’s such a kind-hearted boy.”
The sponsored bike ride is taking place on Saturday March 25, and the route is yet to be finalised, but should see the family accompany Callum setting off from their home in Binbrook and head towards North Elkington and head towards Louth, finishing at the new McDonald’s restaurant on Fairfield Industrial Estate for a well-deserved treat.
To sponsor Callum, visit his GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/82b56c14