A STUNNING £40,000 has been raised in just eight weeks to help a little Huddersfield boy battling cancer.

And it meant some good news for Laura Field, mother of two-year-old Oliver, who is delighted with the support both at home and abroad.

The family have been hit by a series of blows as little Oliver continues to battle the condition in hospital.

He had a severe reaction to chemotherapy at Leeds General Infirmary and at one point had to be taken into the hospital’s intensive care unit.

And as Laura said: “We were close to losing him”.

Thankfully he is now back on a ward and the family hope he can return home later this week.

The brave Dalton youngster has started chemotherapy for his relapsed neuroblastoma.

It had been thought the two-year-old toddler was beating the rare form of cancer after a series of tests last summer showed no evidence of it.

He had been diagnosed with the neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of the disease, when he was just eight months old.

Now he may need to go abroad for radical new treatment, hence the appeal.

Laura said: “Oliver has now completed two cycles of the harsh chemo TVD to try and shrink his tumour down to an operable size, but he’s had a rough eight weeks.

“Only a day after completing the first week’s treatment he ended up staying on the ward for two weeks with side effects, and he was in a lot of pain.

“He then started the second cycle but again only a day later ended up back in the hospital only this time on the intensive care ward.

“His blood pressure was dangerously low and we only found out a day later we were very close to losing him.

“He was allowed back to our usual ward five days later and is still there recovering from the last few side effects, the same as he experienced with the first cycle.

“We get to find out later in this week if the chemo has worked and what the next step will be. If the tumour has shrunk, they may be able to operate but he may also need more chemo”.

As far as the appeal goes, the fund has now reached £88,000, after a £40,000 boost in the last eight weeks.

Fundraising efforts include bag packing, concerts, auctions and pub charity nights, sponsored walks, raffles and cake sales.

There have been head shaves for women and a group of men in Halifax did a mass body waxing.

Laura said: “We have collection boxes out in many businesses and Oliver Field wristbands have been flying out as soon as we can get hold of them.

“We had 5,000 euros donated by a company in Italy, Longwood Engineering also donated £2,500 and many businesses have donated smaller amounts.

“Just last weekend Safari Sam’s Playgym in Honley raised £1,333, a fun day down at St Josephs Church, Aspley, raised £700, and a concert evening in Dodworth Barnsley raised £2,321. Everyone has been so kind.”

Planned events include an afternoon tea at Bridgewood Trust, Armitage Bridge, on March 18; a 5-a-side tournament at Soccer City, Waterloo, on March 24; a sponsored skydive on April 12; and a ladies night at Dalton Grange.

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/oliver-field-appeal or text OLiF95 £10 to 70070.

For details of all events see Oliver’s webpage: www.theoliverfieldappeal.co.uk or Facebook: www.facebook.com/theoliverfieldappeal