Parents of boy, 8, who started donating his Christmas presents to sick children two years ago reveals he’s now battling a brain tumour himself – but will still continue his festive appeal this year
- Elliott Furse, from Gulval, Cornwall, was diagnosed with brain tumour this year
- Was rushed to Bristol for treatment and is undergoing post-operation treatment
- He launched Elliott’s Christmas Appeal and has raised thousands since 2018
- Will continue fundraising this year as Christmas is his ‘favourite day of the year’
An eight-year-old boy who started donating his Christmas presents to children in hospital two years ago will continue to fundraise this year despite being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Elliott Furse, from Cornwall, launched Elliott’s Christmas Appeal in 2018 to provide gifts for sick children, because he ‘had enough presents’ and didn’t want any other children to be ‘lonely and sad’ at Christmas.
Earlier this year Elliott was rushed to hospital with a brain tumour, and had to undergo two operations to remove the tumour, and is continuing to recover at home with his parents.
Appearing on This Morning, he told that he will once again collect presents for children in hospital over the festive period, as Christmas is his ‘favourite day of the year’ and he ‘likes giving presents to people’.
Elliott Furse, from Cornwall, launched Elliott’s Christmas Appeal in 2018 to provide gifts for sick children, because he ‘had enough presents’ and didn’t want others to be sad at Christmas
Earlier this year Elliott was rushed to hospital with a brain tumour, and had to undergo two operations to remove the tumour
Speaking of his original campaign, mum Samantha told: ‘He just said that he has enough [presents] and he wants to donate to people who need a present.
‘We said what kind of people would you like to donate to, and he said children in hospital. He thought people in hospital would be lonely and sad and it all started from there really’.
Earlier this year, Elliot’s parents noticed he was getting sick in the morning, and in July grew more concerned because he was unable to walk properly and was getting double vision.
‘He started to be sick every now and again’, said Samantha, ‘Every couple of mornings he would throw up and then he would be fine, and this went on for a little while.
Appearing on This Morning with parents Samantha and Christian, he told that he will once again collect presents for children in hospital over the festive period
He told hosts Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield Christmas is his ‘favourite day of the year’ and he ‘likes giving presents to people’
‘We took him to the GP, we thought it was maybe anxiety and concerns about lockdown and this went on for a while and at the beginning of July he started not being able to walk properly, he was really wobbly and lots of double vision and it was worrying to watch.’
Elliot collapsed after coming home from a family holiday within a few hours of calling an ambulance, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and transferred Bristol Children’s Hospital.
The eight-year-old underwent an operation to remove fluid on his brain, a second 14 hour procedure to remove the main tumour and has since been recovering at home.
However immediately after the operation, Elliot lost the ability to walk or talk – but started speaking again at the end of September.
Earlier this year, Elliot’s parents noticed he was getting sick in the morning, and in July grew more concerned as he was unable to walk properly
Elliot collapsed after coming home from a family holiday within a few hours of calling an ambulance, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and transferred to Bristol Children’s hospital
Despite his tumultuous year, Elliot has continued to fundraise from the hospital with the help of staff, with Samantha saying her son was so keen to carry on because he’d ‘had a flavour of what it’s like to be isolated in a hospital’.
‘He did say earlier it’s because he thought children would be really lonely again’, she told.
‘He had a flavour of what it’s like to be isolated in a hospital, I think that’s just keeping you going, knowing you can help other people’.
When asked why he was so keen to carry on, Elliot told: ‘I’m excited for Christmas, it’s my favourite day of the year,
Viewers quickly took to Twitter to praise Elliot, with one writing: ‘What amazing idea with the presents! He deserves the world! Bless him’
‘This hasn’t been nice and I don’t like Covid, but I’m fine and I like giving presents to people.’
Viewers quickly took to Twitter to praise Elliot, with one writing: ‘What an inspiring boy when he’s going through so much himself, to think of others like he is. Think we could all do with being kind like Elliot.’
Another said: ‘Aww this poor little boy! What amazing idea with the presents! He deserves the world! Bless him.’
A third wrote: ‘What a lovely little boy, thinking of other when he is ill. Think we can all learn something from him.’
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