Christmas is looking a lot more hopeful for three-year-old cancer patient Ralph Tatham after kind-hearted Mail on Sunday readers donated almost £500,000 towards potentially life-saving treatment.
Ralph has a deadly form of cancer that has spread throughout his body, and chemotherapy is no longer effective. He urgently needs a new liver, bowel, and pancreas. However, the relatively small pool of donors in the UK means that he won’t receive the transplant in time. His only hope is to have the surgery done in the US, where a surgeon has confirmed they are ready to help.
Ralph’s parents, Katie and Graham, have been tirelessly raising funds to send him to America. With time being crucial, they are halfway to hitting the target amount, but they still have just weeks to secure the remaining funds. So far, the response from Mail on Sunday readers has been overwhelming, with donations totaling over £490,000.
Katie Tatham expressed her gratitude for the support they have received, saying, It’s incredible how people have stepped forward to help save Ralph. With each day that goes by, we are a step closer to us losing him, but if we can raise the money that we need, we can hope that he will have the transplant in time to save him. She also shared her hope of seeing Ralph grow up alongside his baby brother Albie, who is five months old.
Ralph’s battle with cancer began in January when he started experiencing stomach ache. After a scan, he was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare form of cancer that affects only two in a million children in the UK each year. He underwent 11 rounds of chemotherapy, but unfortunately, the cancer had spread further, necessitating a multi-organ transplant.
Ralph’s case is not an isolated one. He is part of a campaign called Waiting To Live, which aims to raise awareness about the 230 children in the UK waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. With six months spent on the urgent waiting list, Ralph’s situation has become increasingly dire. Doctors have informed his parents that he has a matter of weeks to find a suitable donor before it is too late.
One of the first individuals to step forward and contribute was Hayley Nicholls from Crouch End, North London, who donated £1,500. She explained that her donation was made in memory of her sister Natalie, who passed away in 2019, and she would have been proud to know that her funds were helping families in similar situations.
The Tatham family is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and generosity. Katie Tatham said, It made me cry reading about Hayley’s donation. She was a complete stranger, and yet she donated a lot of money to try to help our son. We want to thank all the lovely people who have donated; it means the world to us. If we can save Ralph’s life, it will be because of how people have stepped forward. We just need the last bit of the miracle now.
As time is running out for Ralph, his family continues to appeal for donations to reach their target. Those willing to contribute can visit the GoFundMe page set up for Ralph’s campaign by searching for Ralph’s Campaign: Lifesaving Transplant for Cancer.
Ralph’s story exemplifies the urgent need for organ transplants and highlights the struggles faced by many families in similar situations. With the support of compassionate individuals, there is hope for Ralph and others like him to receive the life-saving operations they desperately need.
