A KILWINNING kids play group are doing their utmost to help member following his heartbreaking diagnosis.
Wiggle and Giggle have organised a family fun day for Monday, May 29 between 11am and 2pm at the Main Street venue - in aid of Ayrshire boy Calum Rae, four, who has had his life turned upside down recently by a recent tumour diagnosis.
Mum Victoria MacDonald, who is a teacher at West Kilbride Primary School, and Andrew Rae, are looking to raise £250,000 to get their "little Rae of sunshine" a potentially life-saving vaccination which is currently undergoing trials.
A JustGiving page has been set up (and can be found at tinyurl.com/CalumRae) in a bid to get him to the USA.
Calum's life changed at the start of this year when he caught chickenpox - and didn't seem to get better after the rash cleared up.
After numerous trips to the GP Calum was then eventually transferred to Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children he and his parents then received a heart-breaking diagnosis - he had stage M high-risk neuroblastoma - a rare and aggressive cancer with a high risk of return and consequently a poor survival rate.
Calum is currently undergoing chemotherapy which has relieved some of the pain, though he till has surgery, high dose chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy to endure to get better.
Unfortunately, even after this intensive treatment, it is likely the cancer will return.
That is what led Victoria and Andrew to their New York plans, and potentially life-saving trips out to the States.
His parent explained: "A new vaccination is in trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York.
"This centre specialises in neuroblastoma and is world-leading in developing immunotherapies against neuroblastoma.
"The vaccine trains the immune system to identify and destroy neuroblastoma cells. It can reduce the chance of relapse and increase the chance of survival.
"The vaccine isn’t available here in the UK, so we hope to fundraise to be able to take Calum to New York for this treatment.
"It would involve Calum making the journey to New York multiple times throughout the year."
So far, Victoria and Andrew have raised nearly £100,000 in their fundraising efforts.
And as they look to keep the momentum going, Wiggle and Giggle in Kilwinning Main Street are looking to help out.
Calum reguraly attends their singing and dancing club, having attended since he was a little tot.
Now, the club have organised a fundraising fun day in his honour.
Taking place on Monday, May 29, the event has seen a monumental effort from parents, Calum's friends and all staff in the group to ensure as much funds can be raised as possible.
Their will be a bouncy castle, music, games, food, drinks and lots of fun for all the family on Main Street.
Entry will cost £2 for adults with kids going free and there will also be a raffle and tombola as the group looks to raise as much as they can for little Calum.
For more information, visit facebook.com/wiggleandgiggleltd.
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