AN 11-YEAR-OLD boy from Petersfield swam 20 miles during his half term holidays in aid of a friend with a rare bone marrow cancer.
Tom Duddridge completed 1,288 lengths of the Taro Leisure Centre’s pool for his friend, Fionn Kennedy (20) of Froxfield.
Tom, of Woodbury Avenue, said: “I’m good friends with him and wanted to help him and others with similar conditions.
“That many lengths felt like a big task but once the first few hundred were out of the way, it wasn’t so intimidating.”
Fionn was diagnosed with primary myelofibrosis earlier this year, but treatment at Guys Hospital in London and support from the charity MPN Voice, is keeping him going.
His mother, Vickie Christie, said: “With proper monitoring and support, he plans to carry on at university until he has stem cell treatment or a bone marrow transplant – we don’t know when that will be yet.
“Not only do the charity and hospital team give great support to people with this condition, they are researching and investigating causes and treatments.
“But research into rare conditions like these doesn’t attract as much funding as some others.”
Fionn’s hope for his long term survival is either stem cell treatment or a bone marrow transplant, as the condition is fatal between five and ten years after diagnosis in most cases.
Tom goes to Ditcham Park School, and is a member of Alton and District Swim Club. So far his swim has raised £1,000 for his friend and MPN Voice.
His mother, Faye, said: “They have been friends for quite a few years now.
“Even now when Fionn comes home from university he takes Tom out for the day – they are just great friends, despite the age difference.
“Tom swam 20 miles because Fionn is 20, and raised £1,000. It was such a huge effort by him and it would be fantastic if he could raise more than that.”
To donate, visit Tom’s JustGiving page at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fayeandthomas and to find out more about MPN Voice and Fionn’s condition visit Vickie’s JustGiving page at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/vickieandfionn