England striker Harry Kane has sent a special video message to his biggest fan – a four-year-old cancer sufferer who overcame Covid-19.
Archie Wilks, who caught coronavirus during treatment for rare childhood cancer neuroblastoma, was sent the uplifting message from the Tottenham Hotspur player on Friday morning.
“You’re a strong boy. Just keep listening to the doctors, nurses and your parents.
“I hear you and your twin brother Henry love to play football, so keep playing in the garden, stay at home and, yeah, I wish you all the best.”
Archie, who was wearing his treasured Tottenham shirt, appeared delighted with the surprise alongside his parents, Simon and Harriet, and his identical twin brother Henry.
The family, from Saffron Walden, Essex, spoke of their worries when Archie needed oxygen after developing a fever at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge during a course of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Archie was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in January 2019 after becoming so ill he could not stand up.
Two tumours were found around his kidney and spine and the disease had spread to other areas, including his bones and bone marrow.
While Mr Wilks, 31, and his 30-year-old wife care for their twins, others are donating and raising money to enable Archie to take part in a vaccine trial in the US which could reduce the chance of the cancer returning once Archie is in remission.
More than £186,000 has already been raised.
Mr Wilks said 50% of children successfully treated for neuroblastoma will relapse. Of those who relapse, 90% will not survive.
The vaccine trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York “will look to reduce the chance of that happening and allow us all to know we have done everything possible to give Archie the best chance at life”, he added.
To donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/archiesjourney.
