A KIND-HEARTED borough youngster is set to make a charity splash for his friend and neighbour who suffers from a rare muscle wasting disease.
Cameron Dixon, now aged 15, has had to overcome serious health issues since the moment he was born – spending the first few years of his life in and out of hospital and his parents being told that if he survived he would probably never walk, talk or be able to feed.
His mum Nikola Trevalyan-Blake refused to accept this fate and has helped, coaxed and pushed Cameron through every battle he has had to face.
Doctors had always believed Cameron had regular Muscular Dystrophy.
But he has recently been diagnosed as actually having RYR1 congenital myopathy – an extremely rare form of MD, but one which means he is no longer ‘terminally ill’ – news described my his mum as ‘the best news anyone could hope for’.
Despite overcoming his many disabilities, Cameron, a pupil at Langley School, still struggles with his mobility and relies on a special power chair.
However, his chair is in desperate need of replacement – and the family have set about fundraising for the chair and to maybe take him on holiday for his 16th birthday.
Cue kind-hearted neighbour and friend – Alfie Cowie.
The 11-year-old Ulverley School pupil and Cameron have become firm friends over the years.
And when he heard about the fundraising mission for Cameron’s new chair Alfie knew there was something he could do to help.
Alfie is an aspiring swimmer, swimming for Fox Hollies in Acocks Green.
So he came up with the idea of a sponsored swim.
And now he is set to swim 200 lengths of Tudor Grange swimming pool at 5pm on March 23 to raise as much money as possible for Cameron’s chair.
“We are very overwhelmed by Alfie wanting to do this for his friend,” said mum Nikola.
“Alfie said ‘I just wanted to do whatever I could to help my Cameron and always will’.
“He really is a wonderful young man and just accepts Cameron for who he is – Cameron thinks the world of him too.
“We would like to thank everyone for all the fundraising they have been doing for Cameron and to encourage people to sponsor Alfie and his fantastic fundraising swim.”
Alfie is collecting sponsorship for his swim at school, through family and friends and on the day at Tudor Grange.
An ongoing fundraising page for Cameron has been set up at: www.gofundme.com/camerons-fund?lang=en-GB where people can read all about Cameron’s story and donate to help buy the new chair.
You can also sponsor Alfie via the fundraising page – just type For Alfie into the comments box after donation.
South Birmingham Scooter Club are also fundraising for Cameron – donating the proceeds of their start of season party at the Corks Club Kings Heath on Saturday (March 11).
