Family of young cancer patient “overwhelmed” by stranger’s horse-some fundraiser

Thomas Creamer’s parents Damo and Samantha have faced hefty bills travelling from their home in Denaby to Newcastle to be alongside the 15-year-old as he has treatment for bone cancer.

But their financial worries were eased by the generosity of the Gaskin family, who run a scrap metal business from Doncaster Road, Mexborough.

After hearing about Thomas’s battle for health, kind-hearted Richard and Rosie Gaskin arranged for a 12-mile drive-out of 16 horses and carts to five pubs in the area to collect £2,650 in donations.

Thomas’s aunt Katherine Aimson said: “It’s just a massive thing, so overwhelmng, that they have gone out of their way to help us when they didn’t know us.

“It’s absolutely amazing. It’s blown us away.

“They also put on a buffet for our family and arranged an ice cream van for the children.

“Their generosity is amazing and Damo and Samantha wanted to send a personal thank-you.”

Katherine said Thomas, who was diagnosed in April, had undergone a bone graft in his upper arm at the end of June and the family were waiting to see if it was successful.

Rosie Gaskin said she and her husband had overheard Thomas’s grandfather explaining his predicament at the Denaby Main Institute and immediately wanted to help.

“It’s not nice for a 15-year-old to be going through what he was so my husband said he would organise a charity rideout for him,” she added.

“We had people from Bradford, Leeds and even London — they came from all over.

“Everyone showed their support and we made a good total on the day.”

The rideout took in the Roman Hotel in Mexborough, the Bluebell in Manvers, the Dearnesman and Cross Keys in Wath and the Mason’s Arsons in Mexborough before heading back to the Denaby “Stute”.

Rosie said the day had cost the couple “an arm and a leg” but added: “It was worth it to see Thomas’s face.

“We are from the traveller community and the communities pulled together and had a good day.”