Nine-year-old fundraiser Elliott completes last chemo treatment and comes home to Penzance

A nine-year-old learning to walk again has reached a welcome milestone on the way to recovery - the end of chemotherapy.

Elliott Furse from Gulval had his last chemo treatment at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and another final one at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, Cornwall.

The relentless fundraiser, who has fundraised for his beloved Penlee Lifeboat station for many years, has set himself a challenge of walk from the old Penzance Lifeboat Station to the new Penlee Lifeboat Station to raise much-needed cash for the charity as he relearns to walk following his brain tumour operation last July.

Elliott had to undergo two major surgeries to remove the cancer followed by exhausting chemo treatment.

After his second operation, Elliott developed a condition called posterior fossa syndrome - meaning he was essentially locked in his body - and he has had to relearn how to walk, talk, sit up and even move his eyes.

However, there is hope that Elliott, a Gulval Primary School pupil, will recover and live a normal, independent life.

His dad Christian said the end of chemo meant that while he will still need to make regular weekly visits to Treliske he will no longer have to travel all the way to Bristol (an eight-hour return journey from Penzance, Cornwall) for his treatment but can recover at home.

“Elliott has been a bit down. The latest round of chemo made him very sick,” Christian said. “But the six months of chemo is something we can tick off and lot of the medical stuff is almost behind us.”

He added: “His recovery will be long. He has to relearn certain things like walking. He has to rebuild his energy levels but not having to be in hospital so often all the way in Bristol will be wonderful.”

Christian said that the journey to recovery will be long and Elliott has had many ups and downs. He said there will be further MRI scans in the coming months to make sure the cancer has fully gone away and not come back and there will still be visits to Treliske for platelets replacement, blood tests and medical treatment.

He added: “His Penlee challenge has taken a knock back a bit because Elliott was so poorly but it remains a major motivation for him.”

Elliott originally set a goal of £250 but has smashed that already having raised more than £1,800 (which 722% over target) to date.

Over the years Elliott has been donating his pocket money to the Penlee Lifeboat.
Three years ago he even forfeited his Christmas presents and instead asked family and friends to donate them to children in hospital.

From there, Elliot’s Christmas Appeal was born and with the assistance of his parents Christian and Samantha, he has been donating Christmas presents to patients at the Royal Cornwall Hospital ever since.

To help Elliott with his latest fundraiser visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/elliotts-walk-for-penlee-lifeboat

To follow his recovery progress and support his annual Christmas Appeal, check out his Facebook page facebook.com/elliottschristmasgiftappeal

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