Therfield pub fundraises for teenage boy's cancer treatment

Jamie Covington, who is originally from Royston but now lives in Godmanchester, has relapsed with a rare form of childhood cancer.

He was first diagnosed in May 2023, at the age of 12, after he discovered lumps on the right hand side of his neck.

His family were told Jamie has high risk metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, which has spread throughout his body.

Jamie Covington with his family (Image: Courtesy of the Covington family) Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare and aggressive type of cancer that effects muscle tissue, with an average of only 112 cases diagnosed every year in England.

Following several rounds of chemotherapy, Jamie went into complete remission, but around six months later he started to feel a pain in his stomach and a new lump appeared on his back.

A CT scan showed that the cancer had returned in three places, and Jamie was offered a different type of chemotherapy in May 2024 for patients who have relapsed with rhabdomyosarcoma.

Now Jamie's family are urgently trying to raise money so Jamie can be part of an immunotherapy vaccine treatment in Germany.

Ivan Titmuss, landlord of the Fox and Duck, is hosting a charity quiz at the pub at 7.30pm on Tuesday, October 15 to help push the family closer to their target.

He said: "This young lad has his whole life ahead of him and he desperately needs the money to enable him to be part of this clinical trial.

"If we can get everyone together at the pub for a fun night and encourage our customers to chip in, we can help Jamie and his family get the cash they need."

Jamie is currently on his 14th round of chemotherapy at Addenbrooke's Hospital, but his mum Sam Holson explained this is not necessarily a cure.

She said: "His tumours are shrinking and it’s maintaining things, but after so many rounds of chemotherapy he could become resistant to treatment and it could stop working, with his cancer returning at any time and no further treatment being available in the UK. 

"The immunotherapy vaccine is a novel, new treatment that has shown some positive results in patients with sarcomas like Jamie's, and is a different treatment to what he is currently on.

"The immunotherapy vaccine will be tailored specifically to him and will use his own immune system to target and fight the cancer. At this moment it is our only hope of lifesaving treatment. 

"We are in a race against time to raise money for this new treatment to save him and keep our beautiful family together, keeping him in our lives and to give him the childhood and the future he deserves.

"Every donation counts and every penny will go towards his lifesaving treatment." 

The family has almost raised a third of the money needed and is urgently appealing for more help so they can reach their £300k target by Christmas.

You can donate to the fundraiser at https://www.gofundme.com/f/life-saving-cancer-treatment-for-jamie.

Ivan said: "It is heart-breaking for parents to have to support their child through a life-threatening illness.

"Nobody wants to be in that situation. We have to do everything we can to get Jamie to Germany. 

"If there are any businesses that can help swell the coffers, I know the family will be incredibly grateful."