BRAVE young cancer sufferers in Suffolk have received a massive boost thanks to a staggering donation of nearly £16,000.The money will go to the Angels Appeal which helps provide at-home care for sick children and allows paediatric oncology nurses at Ipswich Hospital to buy invaluable new equipment.

BRAVE young cancer sufferers in Suffolk have received a massive boost thanks to a staggering donation of nearly £16,000.

The money will go to the Angels Appeal which helps provide at-home care for sick children and allows paediatric oncology nurses at Ipswich Hospital to buy invaluable new equipment.

The large donation came from Chris Damant who raised the money by running the London Marathon last year after experiencing first hand the nurses' work.

His six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer which affects fewer than 100 children in Britain each year, three years ago and he says the support he and his family have received is amazing.

He added: “Since the diagnosis things have been horrendous but I really wanted to give something back because we've been treated so brilliantly.”

So Mr Damant, 36, who lives wife his wife Lu and his two daughters in Dunn Close, Hadleigh, decided to get sponsorship for the marathon together with his friends Jerry Rider and Danny Cooper.

He said: “We started thinking we would raise around £1,000 but it went absolutely mad and we raised £15,896.34.

“People we hardly knew were coming in with £600 donations, I felt very touched and humbled.

“I am confident that this money will definitely help to improve the lives of children.”

Sarah Smith, a paediatric oncology nurse at Ipswich Hospital, said she was overwhelmed by Mr Damant generosity.

She said: “It is an amazing amount of money and we're so pleased he chose us to help.

“This money will really make a difference to children's lives because it will enable us to go to their homes to provide care.

“We prefer homes visits because it is a much better environment for everyone and it is good to have as much normality as possible.”

The Angels Appeal

The Angels Appeal was launched by the Evening Star in November 2004

With the help of the public the appeal raised its target of £20,000

The aim was to provide family-friendly home nursing for children with cancer

The appeal has kept going mainly thanks to donations from families

The money donated continues to support at-home care and helps to buy specialist equipment

To donate to the appeal contact Ipswich Hospital directly