A nine-year-old boy who started donating his Christmas presents to children in hospital two years before battling cancer himself was surprised with a festive trip to Legoland.
Elliott Furse, from Cornwall, launched Elliott’s Christmas Appeal in 2018 to provide gifts for sick children, because he ‘had enough presents’ and didn’t want any other children to be ‘lonely and sad’ at Christmas.
Last year, Elliott was diagnosed with a brain tumour and after undergoing two operations to remove the tumour as well as intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he is now in remission.
Appearing on This Morning, Elliott was surprised with a trip to the theme park in Windsor, which was closed to other visitors, to switch on the Christmas lights and viewers hailed the moment ‘adorable’.
Elliott Furse, from Cornwall, who started donating his Christmas presents to children in hospital two years before battling cancer himself was surprised with a festive trip to Legoland on This Morning today
‘Elliot what a wonderful, selfless, gorgeous little boy you are,’ said one viewer.
‘Oh bless little Elliot,’ wrote another.
A third commented: ‘When people like Elliot come along it restores your faith in humanity a little bit.’
‘We were so lucky, it was such a surprise; he was just so blown away by it, couldn’t believe it. It was so incredible, such an incredible day,’ said his mum Samantha.
Elliott was surprised with a trip to the theme park in Windsor, which was closed to other visitors, to switch on their Christmas lights and viewers hailed the moment ‘adorable’
Last year, Elliot’s parents noticed he was getting sick in the morning, and in July grew more concerned because he was unable to walk properly and was getting double vision.
‘He started to be sick every now and again,’ said Samantha on the show last year. ‘Every couple of mornings he would throw up and then he would be fine, and this went on for a little while.
‘We took him to the GP, we thought it was maybe anxiety and concerns about lockdown and this went on for a while. At the beginning of July he started not being able to walk properly, he was really wobbly and lots of double vision and it was worrying to watch.’
Elliot collapsed after coming home from a family holiday within a few hours of calling an ambulance, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and transferred Bristol Children’s Hospital.
‘We were so lucky, it was such a surprise; he was just so blown away by it, couldn’t believe it, it was so incredible, such an incredible day’, said his mum Samantha today on the ITV show
The then eight-year-old underwent an operation to remove fluid on his brain, a second 14 hour procedure to remove the main tumour.
However immediately after the operation, Elliot lost the ability to walk or talk – but started speaking again at the end of last September.
When asked how her son is today, Samantha said: ‘Things are going well, he’s back at school full time.
‘He’s keeping up with his therapies, he’s back to having friends, and has gone back to be a regular nine-year-old little boy he has a unique sense of humour that carries him through, he’s doing really well.
Elliot launched Elliott’s Christmas Appeal in 2018 to provide gifts for sick children, because he ‘had enough presents’ and didn’t want others to be sad at Christmas
Last year Elliott was rushed to hospital with a brain tumour, and had to undergo two operations to remove the tumour
‘He has an MRI next week, hopefully that’s all positive and clear, it’s a constant four-month cycle but one we’re getting used to and one that’s going really well.’
Elliot, who in January used leftover fundraising money to provide children in need with laptops for homeschooling, is keen to continue fundraising – aiming to raise enough money to buy a caravan so kids with cancer can holiday in Cornwall.
‘Next year he wants to buy a caravan or something similar so that we can set it up somewhere in Cornwall’, said Samantha.
‘So children with cancer can come down and have rest bite and have holidays free of charge, come down and escape from the chaos of tests and treatment whether that’s at the end of treatment or during treatment.
‘So he’s thinking of doing cake sales and dog shows to try and raise money next year.’