Help Noah Walk fund raises £10k in one month

Fundraising for a four-year-old schoolboy in need of life-changing surgery has reached an astounding £10,000 over the last month, though more than £65,000 is still needed. Last month My Croxley News revealed that Yorke Mead pupil Noah Collins had been accepted for pioneering surgery in the US, but his family faces a £80,000 bill for the operation, physio, aftercare and travel. Without Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery the four-year-old, who has suffered from spastic diplegia from birth, could be entirely wheelchair bound by his late teenage years due to deformities in the growth of his bones and muscles. Generous readers, villagers and friends and family have now kicked in around £10,000 over the last month to Help Noah Walk, the fund set up by Noah’s parents Dave and Jeanette. Despite early success in raising funds more than £65,000 is still needed to ensure Noah is able to have the operation, which is booked for August 2014. At the time of writing just over £13,000 has been raised – much of which was through direct donations online. It is hoped that a number of events organised over the coming months will also boost monies. On December 7 funds will be raised with a tombola from 10am-2pm at Boys and Girls Nursery, Croxley Green Business Park, while on the same day the campaign will have a stall at Yorke Mead School’s Christmas Fair from 1pm-4pm. On December 15 helpers will also be packing bags at Sainsbury’s in Watford, encouraging shoppers to donate to the cause. Jeanette Collins told My Croxley News that there had been a “fantastic” response to the Help Noah Walk campaign. She said: “It is going really well at the moment, especially as we have really done too many events yet. We’re really grateful to everyone who has donated. There was a strong reaction to the My Croxley News article last month with lots of people getting in touch after it went out.” She added: “One policeman near retirement donated £500, while another villager is looking to put a team together for Tough Mudder. There is also money to come from Dave Edwards’ Christmas Light switch-on, which is great.” For more information get in touch with Jeanette Collins by emailing jintymc@hotmail.co.uk or to donate to the Help Noah Walk fund log on to http://www.justgiving.com/HelpNoahWalk