A mother has shared photographs of her “miracle” son in his hospital bed as part of a fund-raising appeal for potentially life-saving cancer treatment.
Former Manchester City ball boy Elliott Fernandez, 19, from Denton, Greater Manchester, was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of soft tissue cancer and suffered a massive bleed on the brain after his first dose of chemotherapy.
He underwent emergency surgery which left him on life support and dialysis but he defied doctors and learned to eat and walk again.
Elliott with Joe Hart (Family handout/PA)
The teenager was a ball boy at Manchester City for nine years and placed the ball on the corner spot which led to Edin Dzeko’s injury-time equaliser in the dramatic 2012 Premier League title-clinching 3-2 victory.
Last year he met his idol Sergio Aguero, who went on to score the winner in the above match, and also boss Pep Guardiola who spoke to him about his days as a ball boy at Barcelona.
Over Christmas, Mr Fernandez suffered a relapse and his mother, Beverley Clarke Fernandez, decided to launch an appeal on fundraising website GoFundMe towards paying for treatment in Germany .
She wrote on the fundraising page: “Physiotherapy got him back on his feet and he then spent a further six weeks in intensive rehab physio and was eventually allowed home where the physio continued and with the love and support of his friends and family he even got back into the gym.
“He went from strength to strength even managing to pass his first year computer science university course, while going through gruelling chemo. After four cycles there was no evidence of the disease and we were elated.
The family is hoping Elliott can have treatment in Germany (Family handout/PA)
“As you can imagine, we were devastated when on his next scan the beast had returned and he was placed on a clinical VIT trial which again worked for four of six cycles and then it reared its ugly head again – affecting his liver and spine.
“He has been in hospital over Xmas and New Year with hydrocephalus and two weeks ago we were told there was nothing further they could do for this hero as they say he can’t have any further chemo. He was given two days at the most. But Elliott is still here and fighting he defies all odds!
Elliott learned to walk again after earlier treatment (Family handout/PA)
“His strength and determination is immeasurable and I am so proud of him my heart bursts. We have continued to treat him with alternative therapy organic food, juicing, turmeric, cannabis oil and the doctors are astounded!
“A clinic in Germany is willing to treat him but we first need a private scan and of course we need to get him there. His own oncologist is not willing to scan him again until he is mobile again and we just do not have the time.
“He´s my only baby and IVF at that, so was a miracle from day one! He so deserves the chance to realise all the dreams he has, the kindest most thoughtful boy you could ever have the pleasure of knowing. I’m a single mum so every little bit of help or knowledge out there would be precious. He’s my hero and always will be.”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-4136496/Mother-funding-push-miracle-son-cancer-treatment-Germany.html#ixzz4WK2YTv72
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