Worthing boy raises money for charity from his hospital bed, days after major operation

A boy from Worthing has raised thousands of pounds for charity from his hospital bed, days after a major operation.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

On March 11, Stacy Clayton first noticed something was wrong with her son Charlie. Fast forward two weeks, and the nine-year-old was recovering at home after doctors removed most of a 3cm-large benign tumour on his brain.

In the meantime, his dad Chris set up a fundraising page on his request that has raised more than £2,700 for the WellChild Resilience Fund, which helps the charity look after seriously ill children and their families during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Stacy, 36, praised NHS doctors and nurses for their top-notch care during the current coronavirus pandemic, and said she was 'amazingly proud' of her son.

Charlie Clayton, nine, had part of a brain tumour removedCharlie Clayton, nine, had part of a brain tumour removed
Charlie Clayton, nine, had part of a brain tumour removed

"He hasn't complained or made a fuss - he was nervous before his operation, but he just got on with it.

"You think that you're their lifeline, but actually children are much braver than we are. They can show us adults a thing or two."

Charlie had been complaining of headaches and had lost his appetite, but when he told his parents his neck hurt Stacy contacted 111, fearing her son could have meningitis.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Following their advice, they took Charlie to Worthing Hospital, where doctors ruled out the disease.

Charlie Clayton, nine, with nurses at Southampton HospitalCharlie Clayton, nine, with nurses at Southampton Hospital
Charlie Clayton, nine, with nurses at Southampton Hospital

But after his symptoms continued, he was back in hospital for an MRI scan

Stacy, who works as a teaching assistant at West Park Church of England Primary School, which Charlie attends, remembers getting a call from Chris after school telling her the doctor wanted to speak to them straight away.

She said: "As soon as I came off the phone with him, I broke down.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"From that call onwards, it was almost like we weren't living it; it's like it is a film and it is happening to someone else."

Charlie Clayton, nine, had part of a brain tumour removedCharlie Clayton, nine, had part of a brain tumour removed
Charlie Clayton, nine, had part of a brain tumour removed

The tumour was pressing on the part of Charlie's brain that controls his hormones and near to the part linked to eyesight, so doctors said they could not remove all of it.

He was swiftly taken to the neurological department of Southampton Hospital, where he was assessed and prepared for his four and a half hour operation on Friday, March 20.

Stacy, from Lobelia Drive, Worthing, said: "We went down with him to the anaesthetic room. He was quite funny on his drugs - he was talking about his dog and having a barbecue - before he finally went to sleep."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After an anxious wait, the couple were briefed by the surgeon that it had gone well, but that Charlie's behaviour might be different due to the hormone rebalance in his body.

Thankfully, he was his normal self - if a bit sleepy and with a big bandage covering a scar on his head, she said.

By Monday, March 23, coronavirus rules had kicked in, meaning only one parent was allowed to stay at the hospital with Charlie - so Stacy had to sleep in the ward while Chris, 38, was left at home.

And to make matters more challenging, Charlie's twin sister Megan was staying with her grandparents in Devon while he had his operation and is now not able to come home due to the lockdown.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"She feels like she is having a little holiday, but for us it is quite hard not having her here in these crazy times that we're in", Stacy said.

During his recovery, Charlie met some other children who were being looked after at the hospital that will need full time care, and he told Stacy he wanted to help them.

So Chris set up the Just Giving page on March 26, the day before his son was discharged, and raised £900 in three hours.

"Every day Charlie keeps checking the totals and reading the lovely messages that have been left for him, which is nice," Stacy said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Now Charlie is at home with medication to regulate his hormones, and will be back in hospital for further tests and to see if they can remove the other part of the tumour if it shifts position.

Stacy thanked NHS staff for going out of their way to make sure Charlie did not wait for the initial MRI scan, and for the care he has received since.

She said: "It was incredible. They were so calm and they made you feel you were the only one they were looking after; even though the whole world is going crazy around them, they are amazing."

To donate, search Charlie's Epic Win at justgiving.com.

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

Thank you for reading this story on our website.

But I also have an urgent plea to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality local news on this free-to-read site and in print, please purchase a copy of our newspaper as well. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on our town centres and many of our valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you buying a copy.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our journalists are highly trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards anywhere in the world. Our content is universally trusted - as all independent research proves.

As Baroness Barran said in a House of Lords debate this week on the importance of journalists: "Not only are they a trusted source of facts, but they will have a role to play in rallying communities and getting the message across about how we can keep ourselves and our families safe, and protect our NHS. Undoubtedly, they have a critical role."

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. In return we will continue to forensically cover the local news - not only the impact of the virus but all the positive and uplifting news happening in these dark days.

In addition, please write to your MP urging the Government to provide some additional financial support for local newspapers and their websites like this one and ensuring that supermarkets continue to stock them. I cannot stress enough how important such an intervention would be.

We thank all our readers and advertisers for their understanding and support - and we wish YOU all the best in the coming weeks. Keep safe, and follow the Government advice. Thank you

Related topics: