A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy met cricket legend Sir Ian Botham at the launch of his latest sponsored walk.
Oisin Coll, who in February finished a gruelling three-and-a-half-year course of chemotherapy to fight leukaemia, was one of only 12 children nationwide picked to visit Lord’s Cricket Ground at the launch of Beefy’s Great British Walk.
The England cricket legend has been walking for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research since 1985, after he met a group of children with leukaemia at a Taunton Hospital.
He will walk through 10 towns over the course of 10 days between April 12 and April 21 next year - with Oisin, of St Margaret’s Road, Wanstead, joining him for part of the walk through London.
The Aldersbrook Primary pupil’s mum, Nicola, a 41-year-old project manager for a bank, was also at Lord’s to meet Sir Ian today (September 8).
She said: “Oisin’s been very excited about meeting Ian Botham, and he can’t wait to take part in the walk next year.
“He liked cricket before this, but he’s become even more of a fan now.”
Oisin was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in November 2007.
Doctors at Great Ormond Street said his white blood cell count, which reached 400, was one of the highest they had ever seen.
Nicola added: “It was horrendous. Oisin’s brother, Dara, was only seven weeks old at the time, and I had to leave him with my parents while I went into hospital with Oisin.
“But the staff at Great Ormond Street were just amazing.”
The survival rate for children with the most common form of childhood leukaemia was just 20 per cent when Sir Ian began his walks. Today it stands at 90 per cent.
Speaking at Lord’s, Sir Ian said: ““I never forget why I put myself through the pain and blisters. But I need people to sign up and join me on the walk and help ensure that every child diagnosed with one of these blood cancers survives.”
If you would like to join Sir Ian on one of his walks, call 020 7685 1022 or email lholmes@beatingbloodcancers.org.uk
For more on the walk visit beatingbloodcancers.org.uk/beefywalk2012.
To sponsor Sir Ian visit justgiving.com/beefywalk2012
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