Barrow teen Alex Blake marks ten years cancer-free at Chetwynde School

Alex Blake was just five-years-old when he was told the devastating news that he had cancer after falling ill at a friend’s birthday party.

An emergency CT scan found he had a rare kind of cancerous tumour on his brainstem called an anaplastic ependymoma and he was admitted to hospital after his brain started bleeding.

Alex, who at the time lived in Canada with his brother and parents, underwent surgery to remove the tumour, leaving a scar up the back of his neck.

SURGERY: Alex underwent surgery to remove the tumour, leaving a scar up the back of his neck

After surgery, Alex went to Boston for 12 weeks to undergo Proton Therapy where he lived in Christopher’s Haven - a non-profit organization for children and families having to stay away from home because of treatment.

Alex returned home on his sixth birthday after finishing treatment and returned to school on the last week of kindergarten.

Now, almost ten years cancer free, Alex wants to celebrate the milestone by raising money for a charity that helped families like his.

Alex, who moved to Barrow with his family when he was 10, said: “When I was in treatment there were a few charities that helped me and my family not only by funding research but also by helping us pay for living costs such as meals and rent.

“Team Reece is a charity that sends its money to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to fund research, as well as funding a holiday home for families struggling with childhood cancer. Reece had a very similar story to me and I wanted to help a non-profit charity that meant something to me.”

Alex, who is weeks off celebrating his 16th birthday, decided to undergo a head shave at Chetwynde School – where he is a Year 11 pupil – to help fundraise for the charity.

Alex’ parents Rick and Lisa Blake feel incredibly proud of their son.

FAMILY: Alex Blake and his dad Rick

Mrs Blake, who works as a teaching assistant at Chetwynde School, said: “We’re very proud of Alex.

“It’s been really difficult. Alex still has to go for frequent hospital visits just to check everything. Alex’s cancer was aggressive and can come back so the hospital wants to monitor him for life.

“We always try to look at the positive and everything we are accomplishing. It’s fantastic that we have been living cancer-free for all this time.”

Alex said it ‘feels good’ knowing he has been out of hospital for a decade now living cancer-free.

“It feels good to know that I am ten years out of hospital,” he said.

SMILES: Alex has shaved his head to mark ten years of living cancer-free and fundraise for charity

“When I’ve been doing the fundraiser I’ve been thinking about that time more. This happening when I was so young, I’m not sure what life would’ve been life if it hadn’t happened – I don’t know any different.

“In the last year I was thinking about coming up to ten years since finishing treatment and felt like I wanted to help someone else’s family like how we were helping when I was ill.

“I wanted to fundraise for a charity that would help families and not just research.”

Mrs Blake, who is a mum-of-two, added: “When Alex was going through treatment it really affected our working life. I took this massive chunk of time off work and I was self-employed and thought we were going to lose our home.

“We were so grateful to receive the help and support of charities throughout this time. It’s so lovely to know that the fundraised money will go to other families and we can help them in a more direct and tangible way.”

Alex shaved his head on May 4 during a school assembly – and raised a mammoth £1,385 for Team Reece.

FIGHTER: Alex' hair before braving the shave

“People have been stopping me in the corridors and telling me it’s great what I am doing which is nice,” he said.

Mrs Blake said she was in ‘awe’ of any person who battles cancer at a young age.

She said: “I’m so proud of both my children Finn and Alex and how he has stoically coped with this cancer journey thrown at us.

“Both of them are our heroes. I am in awe of any young person that goes through it.”

Alex has been accepted into Kendal College to study performing arts and hopes to return to Canada when he is older.

If you would like to make a donation, visit: https://gofund.me/3f5d5b5a