Fundraising campaign to help family of Derbyshire boy with leukaemia

Belper residents are gearing up for a spring fundraising campaign to help the family of a young boy receiving treatment for leukaemia.
Friends and neighbours have launched a fundraising campaign to help the family of Belper boy Finley Becket, eight, as he receives treatment for acute myeloid leukaemiaFriends and neighbours have launched a fundraising campaign to help the family of Belper boy Finley Becket, eight, as he receives treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia
Friends and neighbours have launched a fundraising campaign to help the family of Belper boy Finley Becket, eight, as he receives treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia

Finley Becket, eight, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia—a rare form of blood cancer—in January, and is now due to receive a bone marrow transplant from his 11-year-old sister Elisha.

Now friends and neighbours are planning a series of community fundraising events to help parents Gemma Cockayne and Jamie Becket, and charities supporting cancer patients.

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Tara Buckley, one of the lead organisers, said: “It’s turned their life upside down but the whole family are staying really strong and positive, and Finley is responding well to treatment. He’s very lucky that Elisha is a donor match.

“A lot of the treatment will be done in Sheffield, so Gemma and Jamie are travelling and staying over a lot. We want to help them cover the costs to do that as much as they need.”

She added: “Everyone loves Belper for the kind of community it is. At times like this, people always come together.”

Finley’s classmates at Herbert Strutt Primary School held a pyjama and film night last week for CLIC Sargent.

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Parents and children at the school are selling Fight for Fin wristbands, others are holding bake sales, and one young girl is raffling off her teddy.

Tara is running events as a Body Shop at Home consultant, and businesses such as Nicola Claire Hairdressing and JL Dance Academy are also fundraising.

There will be an Easter activity afternoon at Belper Sports Centre on Friday, April 19, 2.30-4.30pm, with an egg hunt, raffle, crafts and stalls.

On Sunday, April 21, teams from Belper and Ripley will play a football match, kicking off at 1pm on the Parks Estate.

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A children’s disco will follow on May 27, before Finley’s dad Jamie takes on a 26-mile hike in July for Macmillan Cancer Support.

To ensure that all fundraising is transparent and organised with the family’s consent, anyone who wants to support the campaign should join the #FightforFin Facebook group at https://goo.gl/DMi8ou.