My best friend helped me beat cancer. Today I’m raising £300,000 so he can fight his | UK | News

Danilo Talic, 13, whose cancer is now in remission, is helping Jamie Covington, 14, so his friend can access a groundbreaking trial in Germany.

He said: “Just being able to help him means a lot to me.”

Jamie was diagnosed with rare rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer, in May 2023, while Danilo was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma just two months later.

The couple, who attend Hinchingbrooke School in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, became close friends while receiving treatment on the same ward at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Danilo was given the all clear last September, but Jamie’s cancer returned four months ago. His friend has now vowed to help him fight the disease by raising money through sponsored events. Danilo said: “It was so good to have someone on the ward who understood me, who was in the same situation at the same time.”

“It makes me feel good to do this because I know it will help him get better.”

Jamie, a huge Arsenal fan, praised his friend’s fundraising efforts, calling it an “incredible gesture”.

He said: “It was so helpful to have another friend with me in hospital who I could hang out with and play table tennis and Xbox. It was comforting and made my life a little bit easier. I would like to say a huge thank you to Danilo for helping me raise this money. It’s an incredible gesture.”

Jamie’s mother Sam, 49, was full of praise for Danilo, saying: “It’s really amazing. It’s a nice, kind thing to do for your friend.”

“He could have carried on as he was before, but he’s a lovely boy and a lovely friend, so he said, ‘I’m really worried about Jamie and I want to do anything I can to help him.’ It’s heartbreaking, unbelievable.” Mother-of-two Sam, who was a marketing manager but now looks after Jamie full-time, had hoped he would recover after a long course of treatment. His cancer affects the body’s soft tissues, such as muscles, and connective tissues, such as tendons or cartilage.

After tests revealed the disease had returned in May, they were told that further NHS treatment was unlikely to cure her, so Sam looked into other options.

She found a trial for an immunotherapy vaccine treatment in Germany that could help Jamie.

However, she discovered her family would need to raise £300,000 to cover hospital costs, airfare and accommodation. Nearly £94,000 has been raised. She added: “We are eager to get things moving.”

● For more details: gofundme.com/f/life-saving-cancer-treatment-for-jamie