Courageous Ryan’s inspiring bid to raise cash for kids

Fourteen-year-old Ryan Coutts was diagnosed with the tumour and hydrocephalus, which causes fluid on the brain, in November. Since then he has had three operations and chemotherapy. His final treatment of chemo 
being this week.

The Mill Hill School 
pupil and keen footballer was admitted to the brain 
tumour ward at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre and the same night he was told he had the tumour, and underwent his first operation earlier this year.

After the operation plucky Ryan vowed that he wanted to raise money to help other child victims.

He enlisted the help of his family to help raise money. Initially he expected to raise one or two hundred pounds for the Children’s 
Brain Tumour Research charity based at the 
University of Nottingham.

But after he and his family publicised his fundraising bid on social media, his campaign took
off big style – so far 
Ryan has help to raise £6,000 and he has been bowled over by people’s generosity.

Mum Caroline said: “Ryan was happy with raising £100 at first so as you can imagine we’re all delighted with how helpful everyone has been and how willing they all are to get involved.

“Everyone has been 
amazing and we are thankful for all the support we have had and the support for the 
brain tumour charity.

“Ryan is overwhelmed that we have managed to raise so much up to now.

“The amount of different ways people have been 
raising money has been amazing. Ryan’s football team 
Codnor Boys Under 15s have been really active in fundraising and have managed to raise a lot of money.

“We’ve had people run the London Marathon, the Derby 10k, sponsored bike rides and craft days. Any way 
people can raise money they’ve done it.

“Ryan is so grateful to 
everybody for all the love and support he is getting, even from complete strangers.”

The next upcoming charity event will be a
fundraising day at 
Marehay Miners’ Welfare on Sunday, July, 13 which will see family friends Claire 
Waldron, and David and Sam Long, and Ryan’s aunt 
Sharon Cotton having their heads shaved after being sponsored.

There will also be fun events throughout the day including a bouncy castle, raffle, tombola, disco, cake stall, magic show, face painting, balloon race, VW vehicle display and a visit from Derby County FC mascot 
Rammie. The fun day will 
begin at 12pm and finish at 6pm.

Ryan began his final chemotherapy session on Monday, June 30, which will be followed up with an MRI scan on July 24 to determine how much radiotherapy he needs.

If you wish to make a 
donation and help Ryan’s 
fundraising cause please visit https://www.justgiving.com/Ryan-Coutts1/