A TEENAGE cancer sufferer has thanked the York community who came together for a fundraiser this weekend.

Ryan Miller, 14, from Acomb, is receiving treatment for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and has undergone aggressive chemotherapy following a lump the size of a small orange developed on his neck earlier this year.

In recent weeks, he has also suffered from potentially-fatal sepsis and the bacterial infection c-diff, but was allowed home from hospital this weekend for a fun day and fundraiser in his honour at York Acorn Rugby Club on Sunday.

Lisa Harrison organised the Team Ryan Fundraiser, and said while plans had to be changed at the last minute due to heavy rain throughout the weekend, she was still pleased to see so many members of the community come out to support Ryan and his family.

She said: "It's been an absolutely fantastic turnout from the community, and everybody's come down to help.

"We haven't got a target in mind, but we've got a fundraising page which has a £2,000 target and we're at about £1,400 up to now, so this was more for the community to help so everybody could get involved."

Ryan's mother Katie Miller said she was stunned at how busy the day had been, and was grateful to Lisa and everyone else who organised it and helped out.

She said: "We just want to thank everybody for today, it's so kind. We didn't know it was going to be so big, everybody's come round, all Ryan's friends and our family.

"Ryan's really grateful for the money and he's hopefully going to go on holiday with it when he's better, maybe in a year's time. He's just got over sepsis and c-diff and is going in for chemotherapy on Monday. That's his fourth chemo, then he's got one more and fingers crossed, hopefully, it should be gone."

Ryan said: "I'm feeling good, yeah. I'm happy to see everyone, I haven't seen everyone in a while."

Katie said: "That's the good thing about living in Acomb as well, something like this goes on, you know you're going to see everybody coming together. It's so nice."

To support Ryan's appeal, go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lisa-harrison-2