Running to help brave Lewis, 10

Melanie Croasdale, from Cypress Point, Lytham, and her friends are taking part in the Great North West Run to help the family of Lewis Sykes, who has recently undergone a nine-hour operation to
 remove a brain tumour.

As reported in The Gazette, Lewis, of St Annes, was only diagnosed after a trip to the opticians, after doctors twice sent him away believing he had the flu. Mum-of-four Melanie, 35, said: “Lewis is going to need a lot of treatment and care, and when he comes home he will need help.”

Her son Billy is friends with Lewis at Lytham Hall Park School.

She added: “Lewis is such a great kid, we’ve known him since he was two, and everyone’s devastated that this has happened to him.

“It all seemed to happen so quickly. He was at our house on New Year’s Day and wasn’t well, but we all thought it was the flu or something like that. A few weeks later and he’s diagnosed with a tumour and is going into hospital for a nine hour operation.

“You can’t imagine what the family is going through, you just want to do as much as you can to help.”

She had arranged for her and her friends to take part in the 13-mile run, which takes place on February 23 along Blackpool’s Promenade, to help meet Lewis’s home needs.

And once they’ve done that, Melanie has more fund-raising ideas up her sleeve.

“I’m already thinking of a charity football match and a Zumbathon,” she said.

“We’re aiming to raise £1,000 which will go towards helping the family care for Lewis when he comes home, to make sure he has all the things he needs.We also want to raise awareness of the illness and the signs.” Melanie, who has been enjoying training and is looking forward to the run, said all the money raised will be sent straight to the family.

She added: “This will be the biggest race I’ve done so far and I’m confident I can do it”

Support the run at www.gofundme.com/6ftbzc

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