Darts fundraiser raises '˜fabulous' sum for brave Shane

Shane Redford (Burkitt) with his parents Jon and Charmain.

The fundraiser was held at The Grosvenor House Hotel, in North Parade, on Friday, in aid of Shane Redford (Burkitt).

Shane was diagnosed with leukaemia at the end of January, aged 18.

2001 World Champion 'John Boy' Walton (right) was among those at the fundraiser.

He is currently at City Hospital Nottingham where he has been undergoing his fourth round of chemotherapy while he waits for a bone marrow transplant.

The fundraiser was organised by family friend Chris Fletcher, 56, of Skegness, secretary of the Skegness Darts League’s Sid Dennis and Sons Ltd Division One.

It featured 2001 World Champion ‘John Boy’ Walton and professional darts players Jamie Caven and an invitational trophy in Shane’s name.

Chris declared the event a ‘huge success’, giving a special mention to Russ Sparkes, from the Grosvenor House Hotel, who donated a two-week break in a luxury apartment in the Algarve as an auction prize, raising £400.

Professional darts player Jamie Caven (left) was also among those at the event.

Shane’s father Jon, 45, who played a couple of matches on the evening, said it was ‘an absolutely amazing night’ and while a fundraising total was not yet know, believed it would top the £1,000 mark – a figure he hailed as a ‘fabulous amount’ which will help give Shane ‘the Christmas he thoroughly deserves after everything he has gone through over the last 10 months’.

Jon said the family has also had encouraging news in that a bone marrow donor had been found in Germany and a transplant has been set for November 21.

“If if everything goes to plan we have been told we could be home for Christmas; if not Christmas, will happen whenever we get home,” he said.

You can donate to Shane’s fight at www.gofundme.com/helping-shane-burkitt

Shane was diagnosis with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia after being taken to hospital when he woke up one morning to find his skin had turned yellow.

Ahead of this, he had been carrying flu-like symptoms.

At hospital, he was also found to have a chest infection, pneumonia and septicaemia; the last of which presented a life-threatening risk and saw Shane spend four days in intensive care.

Since then, Shane has undergone brain surgery, as well as several rounds of chemotherapy.

When he is allowed out of the hospital, he stays at a home in the area run by the CLIC Sargent charity; but since his diagnosis, he has only been home once.

He also currently relies on the use of a wheelchair.