Soldiers’ 36-hour challenge to boost funds to help sick York boy (From York Press)
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36-hour challenge by York troops in Helmand to boost funds to help William Rhodes, 3
9:12am Saturday 4th February 2012 in News
SOLDIERS serving in Afghanistan have cycled and trekked the distance to York to raise funds for a little boy with a life-threatening health condition.
Troops in Lashkar Gah in Helmand province decided to cycle and walk 5,659 kilometres (3,516 miles) on fitness machines – the distance from their base to the city – in 36 hours to raise more than £1,700 for the William Rhodes appeal.
Three-year-old William, of Holgate, who suffers from a rare form of anaemia and needs monthly blood transfusions, is likely to have serious health problems if he survives into his teenage years without undergoing a bone marrow transplant.
His parents, Ben and Caroline, hope to start genetic screening and IVF treatment to have another baby who could save William’s life. They hope cells from the umbilical cord of a tissue-matched brother or sister will enable William to have a life-saving bone marrow transplant.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (1 YORKS), which has a headquarters in York, completed the challenge in only 26 hours – ten hours faster than planned. The idea was the brainchild of Major Craig Powers from Wallsend, Tyne & Wear. He said: “We just wanted to give something back to the civilian population in the UK who want to do so much for the soldiers here in Afghanistan.
“The lads have done really well. Some of them covered more than 190km on the bike or cross-trainer, and they have been really enthusiastic and gone right through the night. It’s the first time I’ve seen them getting out of bed in the middle of the night without being prompted.
“It’s hard enough to get up to go on duty in the middle of the night, but it’s harder to get up to get on a bike for the sixth or seventh sitting.”
Mr and Mrs Rhodes, who say they have always wanted to have another child, feel they are in a race against time to have the treatment while William is healthy, as his monthly blood transfusions cause a dangerous iron overload in his system.
People from across York and the UK have helped in the bid to reach the £60,000 target to pay for the treatment and for William’s aftercare.
Speaking to those involved in the effort, Mrs Rhodes said: “Thank you so much. Without the help of people like yourselves we would never be able to go ahead with the treatment that we need to hopefully make William better and give him the quality of life he deserves.
“We feel so overwhelmed by the amount that people have made in donations. I would like to say a massive ‘well done’ to all who took part. What an achievement – you should all be so proud of yourselves.”
Friends indeed
THEY’RE putting their lives at risk in Afghanistan every day. But soldiers with the 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (1 Yorks) still found time to think of a little York boy fighting a deadly disease. They walked and cycled the equivalent of 5,659km at their base in Helmand to raise £1,700 for the William Rhodes Appeal.
Three-year-old William suffers from a rare form of anaemia. Unless he gets a bone marrow transplant, he is likely to have serious health problems as a teenager. His best chance would be cells from the umbilical cord of a tissue-matched brother or sister. Parents Ben and Caroline hope to start genetic screening and IVF treatment so they can have another child, and need money to pay for the treatment and William’s aftercare.
Major Craig Powers of 1 Yorks said William was a friend to the regiment. By their actions, the soldiers have proved they’re very good friends to William, too.
