A charity football match has raised more than £7,000 with the aim of sending a four-year-old with a never before seen cancer to Disneyland with his family.
Arthur Salters-Hoult, of Wallsend, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia earlier this year but blood tests revealed a chromosome mutation never seen before anywhere in the world. His health took a rapid decline for the worst in May when he suffered sepsis, but the brave four-year-old pulled through.
On Saturday, Arthur was among an estimated 400 people who watched a Newcastle fans' XI thrash a Sunderland fans' XI 5-3 at the Fiddlers Three Pub in Heworth, Gateshead. One of the Newcastle goal scorers was YouTuber Adam Pearson, who is also donating all ad revenue from his video of the day towards the fundraiser.
The match was organised by leukaemia survivor Chrissy Quigley, who has hosted these 'derbies' since 2013, with all money raised split between the cancer ward at the Great North Children's Hospital and a local child with leukaemia - with previous beneficiaries including Bradley Lowery.
Chrissy told ChronicleLive: "It was chocka, absolutely heaving. Loads of people were getting their hair shaved, beards shaved, bodies waxed, it was really good."
The 38-year-old factory worker is sure that the total proceeds will come in at over £8,000, as is still organising a bonus ball competition where the prize is a bottle of champagne signed by Magpies' legend Alan Shearer. The fundraising day was Chrissy's first time meeting Arthur and his family, and he said that they had a "brilliant day".
Chrissy said: "The bairn was lovely, seemed full of life and happy and all that. He really enjoyed the day and he was running about playing football, that's what it's all about.
"I'd also like to wish Arthur all the best and we hope he gets well soon and his wonderful family can get to Disneyland. It was a pleasure to meet them all."
Arthur's dad Ricky also posted on Twitter saying it was "overwhelming" how many people had turned up and that Arthur had "absolutely loved" the whole day.
Arthur is undergoing the most intensive form of chemotherapy at the Great North Children's Hospital at the RVI. He may need a bone marrow transplant in the future, but it is still too early to tell.
Nevertheless, his parents Ricky and Helen have encouraged people to sign up to the stem cell donors list. For more information, visit anthonynolan.org or dkms.org.uk.
To donate towards the Newcastle vs Sunderland charity match at the Fiddlers Three, you can do so here. Arthur's dad Ricky will run the Great North Run 2023 to raise money for Leukaemia UK, which carries out research into the disease, with more information available here.
