Guiseley child Edward Clarke inspires Yeadon charity pub event (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Guiseley child Edward Clarke inspires Yeadon charity pub event

11:00am Thursday 11th October 2012 in News By Michael Black

Toddler Edward Clarke had just celebrated his second birthday when he was diagnosed with leukaemia.

But despite weeks of treatment to combat the disease, the “little trooper” from Guiseley never moans. Since the shock diagnosis in August, his family have been given help and support by the childhood cancer charity Candlelighters.

And now they are raising money for the organisation they describe as “amazing”.

The little boy’s dad Andrew and uncle Samuel Male have raised more than £1,000 by having their heads shaved in an effort to make Edward’s hair loss as part of his chemotherapy treatment easier to cope with.

Friends have also rallied round, and this weekend the Yeadon football team Andrew plays for will wear fancy dress to fundraise for the charity. Edward’s mum, Sarah, from Guiseley, said he was seen at hospital in August following three bouts of tonsillitis.

But when the diagnosis came, just days later, it was a shock.

“I had absolutely no idea,” Sarah said.

“I just thought he had a horrible bout of tonsillitis. I always used to get tonsillitis as a child and we used to joke he had my genes.”

She thanked Candlelighters for their help as the family came to terms with the diagnosis.

“They are absolutely amazing. We were just so grateful to them, so we thought ‘why don’t we help them’,” she said. Andrew said: “They gave us information in stages. They didn’t give it to us all at once because it was a lot to take in, but they have been brilliant.”

Since leukaemia was diagnosed, Edward has had to undergo intensive chemotherapy.

The life-saving treatment has proved traumatic at times, but despite the upset, the youngster remains cheerful.

“He is still quite happy in himself and you wouldn’t know to look at him when you see him play,” Sarah said.

She said staff at Leeds General Infirmary, where Edward is being treated, are very positive.

“A lot of the research now is that it is 90 to 92 per cent curable – so we are just trying to focus on that,” she said.

Yeadon Veterans football team’s fancy dress walk will leave from Yeadon Stoops at about 4.30pm on Saturday.

Organiser, Paul Murray, said: “Edward is a beautiful little boy and a little trooper. He has not moaned, he just gets on with it.”