Look into Sydenham schoolboy Thomas’ eyes to see hope of a cure for cancer

Becky Lawson first noticed a white ‘glare’ in her son Thomas’s eyes in photos when he was just five months old. Investigations revealed he had retinoblastoma, a rare cancer of the retina, in both eyes.

But five years later and following chemotherapy and surgery, Thomas is learning to read and is proof of how new developments in treatment can help people survive. He will feature in Stand Up to Cancer, a week-long televised fundraising campaign on Channel 4 that climaxes on Friday (October 19).

His mother Becky said: “We were devastated when Thomas was diagnosed with cancer – he is an only child and very precious to us.

“But, thanks to research, we still have our wonderful little boy. Sadly, not everyone survives. That’s why Thomas wants to do all he can to get everyone in Warwickshire to Stand Up To Cancer right now. We need to fight back against this disease by raising money so that brilliant research can be translated into treatments for patients faster.”

Brought to the UK by Cancer Research UK, Stand Up To Cancer will raise money for research to help more people survive and keep more families like Thomas’s together.

Jane Redman, Cancer Research UK’s Warwickshire spokeswoman, said: “We are calling on everyone in Warwickshire to unite with people across the UK and stand up to this devastating disease.

“One in three people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. Thanks to the incredible progress that’s been made in the last 40 years, more people are surviving than ever before, but there’s still so much more to do. It’s not just technology or knowledge that we need – it’s funding.”

Stand Up To Cancer T-shirts and hoodies are available from Cancer Research UK shops. Wristbands also available at Tesco and TK Maxx stores.