Special message from Elton John for inspiring Jude (3)
The hit-making musician sent three-year-old Jude Mellon-Jameson a Christmas card and a video message, while he was also a guest of honour at the South Yorkshire derby between Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham.
Mum Lucy Mellon-Jameson (33), of Aston Fence, explained that special surprises started from the small actions of a charitable soul at the hospital, trying to help Jude through a difficult Christmas.
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Hide AdShe said: “Throughout December, Jude was in hospital, in isolation, due to having had high dose chemo and a stem cell transplant.
“To make his days a bit brighter, and his world to feel a bit bigger than the room he was in, someone had made some signs saying ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Merry Christmas, Jude.’
“The same person then set about trying to get celebrities that Jude likes to send him wishes.”
Elton was not the first celebrity to step up though, as Lucy explained: “Jude has always watched Monty Don gardening shows with his grandad and so it was really special when he sent him a personalised message.
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Hide Ad“I then sent a message to Andy Day, of CBeebies, and he kindly sent us one.
“Jude was starstruck, but I knew the crème de la crème would be to get Elton John.”
Contacting the pop megastar was obviously no simple task though, and Lucy started in the only place she could think of.
“I jokingly, and it really was a joke, put a post on my Instagram stories asking if anyone had any contacts to Elton and I received a few responses,” she said.
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Hide Ad“A couple of days later, whilst Jude was incredibly ill in hospital, I missed a call but they’d left a message.
“When I listened to it I thought it was a wind up at first; it was Elton John’s assistant.”
Amazed, but determined, Lucy returned the call.
She recalled: “She explained that Elton wanted to send Jude some gifts.
“Several days later, a Christmas card arrived handwritten by Elton John with a very personal message to Jude, along with some signed items.
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Hide Ad“He received some toys a few days later and then we received a video message which again was very personal to Jude.
“Jude couldn’t believe it! He would keep looking at the card and watching the video.”
Lucy said these amazing treats “certainly made us smile” as Jude underwent treatment for high risk neuroblastoma at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Weston Park Hospital.
After 11 months, his course of treatment in Sheffield is due to be completed by September — and Lucy and husband Arron (?) are focused on raising a massive £254,000 to fly him to America and join a vaccine trial aimed at stopping his cancer returning.
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Hide AdLucy said undergoing chemo had been “gruelling” for young Jude, who loves dinosaurs and animals, but added: “Children have a natural ability to bounce back.
“When he’s down, it’s been incredibly tough, but he manages to come back and smile the next day.
“Despite everything, he has an incredible spirit.”
Still the ordeal has been undoubtedly tough for the whole family, with Lucy adding: “It has been a horrendous time for us as parents but it ripples further — grandparents, cousins, friends, aunties and uncles, neighbours.
“To know Jude is to love him.
“But the treatment has been all in all great. I can’t fault the staff at all.”
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Hide AdJude’s family have been fundraising with the help of the charity Solving Kids Cancer, in hope of getting him to America, where he can access a trial for a vaccine that will hopefully prevent his cancer returning.
“With this type of cancer, there’s a 40 to 50 per cent chance of survival,” explained Lucy.
“Then there’s another 40 to 50 per cent chance of a relapse, but if he relapses, survival chances drop to five to ten per cent.
“He’s barely started his life before cancer has tried to snatch it away from him, we do not want him to go through this again.”
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Hide AdSo far, the family have raised an amazing £134,000 out of their goal of £254,000.
The fundraising has included football matches and bungee jumps off at Magna, alongside smaller and more personal fundraising ideas.
One supporter began selling second hand clothes online, with all the profits going to Jude, while another hosted a 70s disco night that alone managed to raise a staggering £1,000.
Sheffield Wednesday star Liam Palmer also went out of his way to boost the Owls fan’s total, completing a sponsored “10k for 10 days” challenge in Hillsborough Park and inviting Jude along to join in the home stretch of the last run.
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Hide AdLucy stated: “There’s been an incredible group of people helping, from friends and family to strangers.
“If there’s any positive in any of this, it’s seeing what good things people can do.”
There are more fundraising events on the horizon, including an abseiling event on Sunday, July 17, as well as an Instagram giveaway of personalised shirts.
The family are asking those interested to follow their Facebook page @DoingItForJude and donate to their fundraising campaign at https://www.solvingkidscancer.org.uk/appeal/jude.