A FUNDRAISING appeal has been launched in aid of a 15-year-old Islander whose swollen wrist turned out to be a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
Kayden Lucas is undergoing treatment for monophasic synovial sarcoma at Southampton Hospital.
His dad Darren Lucas has set up an online fundraiser to help the family meet the costs associated with treatment.
Kayden was initially told his swollen wrist was a sprain, then a ganglion cyst, before being diagnosed with cancer.
He now faces intensive treatment, with chemotherapy and numerous hospital visits expected in the months ahead.
In the fundraising appeal, Mr Lucas said the cancer diagnosis had turned their family’s world “upside down.”
“What we thought was a routine health concern has become every parent’s worst nightmare,” he said.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Kayden is trying to remain positive. His family said he is still smiling and joking, while also trying to protect them from how frightened he really is.
But the family is facing growing financial pressures as they make repeated journeys between Jersey and Southampton for treatment.
Money raised through the appeal will help with travel and accommodation, meals and other expenses during hospital stays, as well as allowing family members to take time off from work to be there for Kayden.
Mr Lucas said: “We want to be fully present for Kayden – to sit beside him during every treatment, to hold his hand through every difficult moment, and to make sure he never feels alone.”
Islanders can donate to Kayden’s fundraiser online at gofundme.com/f/help-kayden-fight-synovial-sarcoma.
