A LITTLE boy battling kidney cancer has travelled to Germany for potentially life-saving treatment after receiving generous donations from the public.
Cerone Johnson and her partner Kenneth Holder, of Harrow Weald, were horrified when doctors told them their five-year-old son, Rione, only had weeks to live.
Rione was diagnosed two years ago with Wilms’ tumour – a rare kidney cancer that largely affects only children – but doctors in England said there was nothing more they could do.
His aunt Scian Johnson, set up an online fundraising page to raise the £10,000 needed to send Rione for treatment, as reported on our website and is due to fly out to Germany today after a staggering £22,443 was pledged by 855 donors.
His aunt told the Observer: “His condition had been deteriorating at the weekend and he had to have more treatments to get the swelling down, but he was told he was okay to travel.
“Once he is over there we are putting our hope and faith in the doctors in Germany, but they know what they are doing and he will pull through.
“He’s a fighter, he’s amazing.”
Rione’s cancer has spread to the lungs and the throat area and he has an obstruction to the main blood vessel bringing de-oxygenated blood to the heart.
His parents had to give up their jobs to look after their son, a pupil at Mount Stewart Infant School in Kenton, whose nickname is Pooh Bear.
The cost of the treatment in Germany will be high and Rione may have to stay in Germany for six months, so his aunt will continue the fundraising drive and said she will be holding lots of events and would even jump out of a plane to help her nephew.
Scian said: “We are so grateful for all the donations so far and cannot thank people enough.
“Children and adults have been donating and it has really touched our hearts. You realise how much there are loving people out there.”
To donate to the appeal to help Rione, see www.virginmoneygiving.com/rioneholder.
Mother speaks of her ordeal over boy battling cancer
