Tiny tot's garden of hope

LEUKAEMIA fight . . . Matthew Jackson

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A COMMUNITY is rallying behind a tiny tot in his fight against leukaemia by building him a safe garden to play in.

On March 8, one-year-old Matthew Jackson, of Thornham, Royton, was diagnosed with leukaemia Infantile and is currently undergoing his second course of chemotherapy at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

Members of the community are pulling together for Matthew ­- who has appeared at rallies for Save Royton's Greenbelt group ­- to create a garden at his home in which he will be able to play safely.

Before he was diagnosed, mum Sarah Dunne and dad Paul Jackson, noticed Matthew was getting regular colds and coughs. He then got a rash, which came and went, and became very sleepy.

He was taken to hospital where he was tested for leukaemia, which was confirmed at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. Paul and Sarah have not left his side and have been staying at Ronald MacDonald House next to the hospital, which offers a place to stay for parents free of charge, so that they can be in close proximity to Matthew at all times.

Little Matthew is showing tremendous fighting spirit, but being diagnosed so early in life adds complexities and once home, he will be vulnerable to infections, meaning he will need lots of fresh air but without mixing with lots of people.

So Save Royton's Greenbelt group, together with members of the community, set up a crowdfunding webpage on Justgiving last Saturday, Matthew's first birthday, and have so far raised over £500 to help fund the cause.

Noel Mahon, owner of PJR windows, doors and conservatories, and a fellow Save Royton's Greenbelt member, has started work on the new garden by taking the conservatory down free of charge on Tuesday.

Staff at Sarah's work, the Unity Partnership at Oldham Council, have also raised funds for Matthew by donating what they can by baking cakes over the weekend to sell in work on the Monday and donating whatever spare change is left around the office.

Paul's place of work, logistics firm Martin Brower, has also supported the family by raising money and donating a teddy bear.

Matthew's aunties Amanda Dunne and Kim O'Hara, who began organising the idea for the garden and sought help, are delighted with the response from the community.

Amanda said: "You never think something like this is going to happen to your baby. This is going to take some of the weight off of my sister's shoulders because it means they can go outside in a safe environment because they can't take him to the parks or the swimming baths.

"The MacDonald's house has been fantastic, the rooms are what you would get in a Travel Lodge and it means they are both across the road. Both of their works have been fantastic and very supportive.

"Everybody has been fantastic. We're just trying to get as much help as possible and make things happen."

Kim said: "It is going to be a long process for him. It is going to be years because he is that vulnerable to infection.

"I am overwhelmed by the amount of support we're getting. People are just donating and giving, no questions asked.

"We're going to put things that he can play with in the garden, it is going to be ongoing, it is quite exciting because it is something the whole community is getting involved in. The response has just been absolutely amazing.

"We also want to raise awareness as well, I didn't know a young baby could get something so vicious. It is about making people aware of the signs of it."

Members of Save Royton's Greenbelt took to the group's Facebook page to show their support for the cause.

Elizabeth Garside said: "This is such a good cause ­- what could be better than helping a local child and local family. Get well soon, little man."

Gary Palmer added: "My hands are ready to get dirty for this Noel Mahon. He was and still is our mascot for this whole Save Royton's Greenbelt campaign. I would rather help a child have a great life than save a bit of grass."

To help Matthew's cause visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/matthewjackson.