FIGHT FOR FRANKIE
The book is available direct from myself. Send a cheque for £9.99 (made payable to K.Fletcher) with your address - and I will send you a copy post free.
If you want it signed for a specific person (for a birthday or Christmas) include a message.
Post to: Fight For Frankie, 12 Ramsey St, Chester-le-Street, Durham DH3 3JH.
Otherwise the book is available at M&M News, Northumberland St, Newcastle for £10.99. Or from Amazon.com.
Thank you. xx
EVENING CHRONICLE August 2015
Battler Frankie Sherwood will face further chemotherapy treatment on Monday after traces of the cancer that almost killed him were discovered behind his eyes.
The two-year-old is in a race against time to halt the deadly disease which has ravaged his little body.
Mum Hayley Laidler, 31, had hoped surgeons would be able to remove her son’s tumour - which is the size of a football - during an operation scheduled for next Friday. But latest tests have revealed traces of cancer in Frankie’s liver and behind his eyes are still there.
“That means the operation has been cancelled because the cancer’s still active,” said Hayley.
“His tumour has shrank significantly because of all the chemotherapy he’s already had.”
The family’s nightmare began on Monday, May 25 this year when, following a visit to Whitehouse Farm in Morpeth, Hayley noticed a slight swelling in her son’s stomach.
By the following day the swelling was worse and Hayley, along with Frankie’s dad, John Sherwood, 28, decided to take the youngster to the GP.
“He was referred on to the Great North Children’s Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle,” added Hayley. “As soon as we got there, they started carrying out tests.”
Those tests went on to reveal a mass growing in the little boy’s stomach. Medics told the family Frankie had Stage 4 neuroblastoma, an aggressive and rare childhood cancer which has an 80% chance of returning. They also said the tumour contained a specific gene which was making it grow rapidly, doubling in size over the course of just two days.
The following day, Frankie, who only turned two on July 21, was taken into theatre so surgeons could fit the “lines” he needed for his chemotherapy treatment.
Scans have revealed major blood vessels at the centre of Frankie’s tumour which means any operation to remove it will be highly complicated - and dangerous.
Hayley, of Dudley, Northumberland, said: “We don’t have any dates for when the operation will be but we know they can’t do anything until the chemotherapy clears the cancer.”
The family are hoping they may never need to use the £500,000 they are now trying to raise. But, with such a high relapse rate, they know they have no choice but to do the best they can for their son.
Loved ones have now launched a fundraising page in a bid to help raise £500,000 towards specialised “relapse” treatment in America, should Frankie’s cancer return at a later date.
“I’m so scared of him getting better, only to get worse again,” said Hayley. “This has really taken its toll on him. For the first five weeks we couldn’t even get him out of his bed. In the end, we had to get a specialist play therapist to help.”
"THE TOON'S GREATEST 100 PLAYERS ... EVER!" is released this week.
This book is a collection of the 100 Greatest Newcastle United players of all time, as voted for by NewcastleUtd-Mad.co.uk readers and a panel of journalists who contribute to the website.
The players are in an order of five-per-chapter, counting down from 100 to Newcastle United's greatest ever player (as viewed by the author), but the whole point of the book is for YOU (the reader) to decide who goes where. The list is not, by any means, definitive.
As with all books of this nature, whether it be "Greatest Albums"; "Best Movies Of All Time"; or "Top 100 Pin-Ups Of The Year" ... no two people have exactly the same opinion.
There will be controversy over who is on the list, and chances are, more controversy over who is not. Here are the best of the best. I have painted the picture with each player's profile. Where they end up in the league of NUFC's Greatest is up to you. Because YOU have the final word.
Otherwise ... if you want a signed copy (for a birthday, etc) for £9.95 and no postage ... you can meet me before a match and I will bring a copy along.
Get in touch: Kevnumad@fsmail.net