Brother you are so brave (From thisisoxfordshire)

Brother you are so brave

6:10am Tuesday 9th December 2008 in

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Proud George Woolliams thinks his younger brother Harry is the bravest boy he knows — and now he’s got him a star to prove it.

Harry, 12, is the latest Oxfordshire child to be presented with a Little Star award, one of Cancer Research UK’s annual accolades recognising the bravery and courage of child cancer patients.

Burford Secondary School pupil Harry, from Main Street, Clanfield, has fought a two-year battle with cancer since being rushed to hospital with suspected appendicitis on Christmas Day 2006.

The first patient to be treated at the new Oxford Children’s Hospital, he and his family were devastated to learn his appendicitis was in fact a stage three malignant Wilms tumour, that weighed nearly 4lb (2kg).

He had a seven-hour operation that was complicated by the cancer also destroying part of his bowel. He also had one of his kidneys removed during the operation.

Harry was nominated for a Little Star award by proud elder brother George, 17, who said: “Harry did not know how serious his condition was, as we did not tell him straight away.

“When we did eventually tell him about a week and a half later he was very worried and shocked.

“His condition affected the whole family and our whole village greatly, but everyone gave him as much support as possible to try to help him through his illness and he maintained a positive attitude throughout which, on many occasions, made adult patients cry with his optimism and outlook on life."

Harry endured 10 months of painful chemotherapy and three weeks of radiotherapy.

George said: “The worst thing was seeing him suffer through his treatment.

“There were many points where he thought he couldn’t continue with his chemotherapy because it made him feel so ill and seeing him crying in anticipation of it was the hardest feeling of helplessness I have ever experienced in my life. But he knew he had to have the treatment or he would die.”

Thankfully, Harry’s determination, the hospital’s excellent medical treatment and the love and support of his friends, his brother and his father Giles, means he is now doing well.

The villagers of Clanfield also showered him with gifts and money was raised by the whole village for the children’s hospital. George said: “Harry still has problems walking some of the time and will need future physiotherapy, but he’s in remission at the moment, with regular scans every two to three months.

“It’s going to be a few more years before he’s out of the woods but he’s well on the road to recovery.”

Harry loves archery, rugby, football and Formula 1 motor racing – so was thrilled to discover that one of the celebrity supporters of this year’s Little Stars awards is F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.

All recipients receive a certificate, a chrome trophy and a £100 TK Maxx voucher to spend on toys, books or fashion. Harry has offered to share his £100 voucher with his brother.

To nominate a Little Star, send an email to littlestar@cancer.org.uk dwaite@oxfordmail.co.uk