Education

Dorset schoolboy, 11, raises over £4,000 by learning to walk again

Gillingham schoolboy, Will Alexander, has challenged himself to walk the entire width of a rugby pitch on Sunday 1 May to help raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity, and he has the whole of North Dorset Rugby Club behind him.

Diagnosed with a brain tumour during lockdown in 2020, Will underwent an emergency 10-hour neurosurgery then developed Posterior Fossa Syndrome (PFS), which caused balance problems, a weakness down one side of his body, and prevented him from walking or sitting up in bed.

Now, Will is bravely learning to walk again, with the aid of physio and hydrotherapy, and the support of his local rugby team, where he played before his diagnosis.

“Will started being sick randomly during lockdown,” said his mother, Leah Alexander. “After referral to hospital, our worst fears came true. He was taken by ambulance to Southampton hospital late that night and operated on the next morning.”

“Every day is hard for Will. The things we take for granted, such as standing up and walking, simple everyday tasks, spending a day at school, are hugely challenging for him, physically and mentally. Since finishing chemo, Will does physio with us every day in the form of core strength exercises, stretches, stair climbing and squats. He has been on a week’s course of intensive physiotherapy at Southampton hospital and does sessions of hydrotherapy at Dorchester hospital.

“He still suffers from fatigue, headaches and nausea following his treatment but has gone from simply learning to stand, to using a frame to walk a few steps, to now learning to walk with crutches.

“It will be amazing and emotional to watch him complete this goal. The whole journey has been the stuff of nightmares, but seeing Will’s endless resilience and determination make us prouder than ever.”

The family are grateful for the support of North Dorset Rugby Club, where Will’s dad Neil, was a coach. The Club have thrown themselves behind Will’s fundraising drive, organising all sorts of activities, including a sponsored tree plant by Will’s team, the under-11s, with the under-10s also joining in by clearing woodland to earn money.

Their combined efforts are already paying off and incredibly, Will has raised over £4,000 already.

“I want to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity because I would like to help others with brain tumours. What I’ve been through was terrible, and I don’t want anyone else to feel that way.

“I have spent the last year learning to walk again which has been very hard, but I’m not giving up.”

Will is aiming to raise £5,000, and he’s already 80% of the way there before the walk. Donations can be made at the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup Festival, at North Dorset Rugby Club in Gillingham, on Sunday 1 May. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ will2walk thebraintumourcharity.org

Bryanston’s fundraising success

Young people at Blandford’s Bryanston School have helped raise more than £50,000 to help two charities, plus a special humanitarian mission to Ukraine.

The annual Charities Weekend was organised by Head Girl, Esme Thomas, and Head Boy, Spencer Davies, in support of their chosen charities – Willdoes, a Dorset mental health charity, and the ‘Girls will be Girls’ programme of United World Schools.

They also organised a special auction for the people of Ukraine and ended up netting an amazing £55,100.

A spokesman said the fundraising effort has paid for more than 22 tons of medical kit, a huge quantity of tinned food, more than 100 sleeping bags and blankets, 40,000 nappies and other much-needed supplies, as well as a bulk supply of food for Ukrainian refugee welcome centres in Moldova and Slovakia. Pupils included personal messages in nearly 400 special fun packs for Ukrainian children.

“Raising so much money at such short notice for the people of Ukraine was a challenging but very fulfilling project,” says 18-year-old Esme. “We’re over the moon that our efforts will do so much to help improve the lives of so many people. I’m also really pleased we’ve been able to support a programme that is helping young girls from Nepal, Myanmar and Cambodia into education, as well as a more local charity that is so close to our hearts.”

The Charities Weekend featured sponsored personal challenges, a concert by bands and musicians from the school, a lunch for friends and family, a fashion show, dog show and silent auction for Ukraine.