Card appeal for boy spending birthday in hospital

Archie was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, earlier this year

The family of a boy who will spend his birthday in hospital for cancer treatment have launched a card appeal to help give him "a birthday to remember".

Archie, from Filey, was diagnosed with bone cancer earlier this year and has already undergone intensive treatment, spending long periods in hospital.

Christina Makin, his aunt, said by asking for well wishes they could help him feel "for a split moment like a normal 12-year-old boy on his birthday".

"He's not a child who wants, wants, wants, he's always grateful for what he's got," she said.

The family suspected something was wrong after a minor leg injury on a school trip kept causing Archie pain long after they felt it should have healed.

Initially suspected as "growing pains" or a build-up of fluid, it was only after numerous doctors appointments and physiotherapy sessions that he was referred to hospital.

Archie was then diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that most commonly affects children and young adults, according to the NHS.

Wendy Pearce, Archie's grandmother, said his illness had "a massive impact on the family", with mum Sammy giving up work to care for Archie.

His two younger siblings often need to be looked after by relatives while their parents travel to and from hospital.

"It's horrendous - we all knew there was something, but we never knew that it was something like that," she said.

"It's just a complete different way of life for us all."

Despite this, Ms Makin said that her nephew was staying as positive as possible.

Archie, a sea cadet and a keen footballer, "always likes to be doing something", she explained.

Archie is a sea cadet and a football fan

"Archie's taking all of this on the chin like a real champ - he's just amazing," she added.

He is due a further round of chemotherapy and an operation on his leg in January.

As part of his treatment, Archie will spend his birthday on 30 November at Leeds Children's Hospital, with his mother and father as visitors.

His siblings and the rest of the family can't be there on the day, so Christina said in "typical crazy auntie style" she wanted to ensure he had "a birthday to remember".

"He should be going out with his friends, going bowling, having a meal - really being able to celebrate," she said.

She set up a social media appeal ahead of his return home from hospital on 12 December, when the whole family could have a gathering.

Archie has undergone several stints in hospital since diagnosis

She said that the initial response to the appeal had been "unbelievable".

A Tesco store in Filey installed a postbox for people to drop cards off, and parcels for Archie have been regularly arriving.

The family said they want Archie's story to raise awareness about osteosarcoma and other bone cancers.

"The support he's had is out of this world, I don't think the words 'thank you' are enough, we're just so overwhelmed," Ms Pearce said.

"If they were all in front of me I'd hug them one by one," Ms Makin added.

Additional reporting by Seb Cheer.

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