Nathaniel’s family have just three days to raise 150,000 for life-saving operation – Mirror Online

Simon Cowell and David Walliams are backing our campaign to save Nathaniel Nabena as his family race to raise 150,000 in three days.

The big-hearted Britains Got Talent stars have each given five-figure sums to help the nine-year-old, after we revealed his parents must raise 201,000 by Wednesday for a life-saving stem cell transplant.

Manchester United and Marvel fan Nathaniel is not entitled to free NHS treatment because he is not a British national.

He was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in the UK after flying here for a 5,000 prosthetic eye fitted privately after losing it to a tumour in his home country Nigeria.

Simon, 61, whose son Eric is seven, said: This must be a really difficult time for Nathaniel and his parents, lets all pray that this campaign gets Nathaniel the treatment he needs.

Comedian David, 49, dad to Alfred, aged eight, said: Nathaniel is a very special little boy and we must do everything we can to ensure he gets all the treatment he needs so he can enjoy a long and happy life.

Generous Sunday People readers helped raise 87,000 earlier this year for three rounds of chemo at Great Ormond Street Hospital in March to get him in shape for the life-saving op.

He responded better than consultants expected and is in remission and in a position for a transplant, using donor stem cells from an umbilical cord.

Readers have helped raise another 30,000 last week to fund transplant procedure and doctors at GOSH have kindly waived their private fees to reduce the cost. But there is still another 150,000 to find.

Consultants at GOSH say his cancer could return at any time and the window for a successful op while chemotherapy is keeping the cancer at bay means the cash must be raised by Wednesday.

After that, the chances of it working will be reduced, and Nathaniels only likely option will be palliative care.

A host of stars have rallied around to support Nathaniel as the family race to raise cash.

Former JLS singer Aston Merrygold, Paul OGrady and Loose Womens Coleen Nolan were among those backing the lad.

Dad-of-two Aston, 33, shared the appeal with his 427k Instagram followers, urging them: Please help Nathaniels family.

Reality star Katie Price shared a fundraising page with her 2.5 million Instagram followers and called for fans to give Nathaniel the chance for a life.

Nathaniel said he is so grateful for the support from readers and celebs.

He said: Thank you all, everybody, for helping me and giving me a chance at life.

"God bless everybody.

His parents Ebi, 45, and Modupe, 38, have been moved to tears by the support from stars and People readers.

Ebi said: Ive been crying knowing that the British people have given my son another hope in life again when all hope was gone. It is like a modern day miracle. We are so grateful.

We all watch American Idol as a family and Nathaniel watches videos of Simon on TikTok. He is a big fan.

"To David we say, thank you so much for coming to the aid of a stranger and being a Good Samaritan.

"We have still got to raise three-quarters of what we need.

"I have not been able to sleep, I worry so much about how we are going to raise the money. It is so tough.

This week, Nathaniel had tests and saw a psychologist at GOSH ahead of the potential transplant and rested at his relatives home in Croydon, South London.

Ebi said: So far the test results have been wonderful. Hes in top shape, hes doing so well. Hes been playing his video games.

He knows hes going to be in hospital for a long time and expressed his fears in a meeting with a psychologist. We are doing our best to reassure him.

Nathaniel has already overcome a lot after having his left eye removed last September while fighting another cancer, myeloid sarcoma, in southern Nigeria.

His family raised 5,000 so he could travel with Ebi to London to have a prosthetic fitted at Londons Moorfield Eye Hospital in November.

Within days of arriving Nathaniel suffered nosebleeds and a fever and was rushed to Croydon University Hospital where he was diagnosed with terminal AML, which affects around 100 children every year in the UK.

It is so aggressive he could have died within weeks without chemo.

His family were initially told the total cost of the treatment at GOSH would be up to 825,000.

Celebrities have voiced their concern for Nathaniel after learning of his desperate situation.

Corrie legend Beverley Callard: This little boy deserves all the help we can give him, so lets dig deep and get him the treatment he needs to save his life.

Emmerdales Claire King: Please, please help Nathaniels family raise 150,000. Stay strong, Nathaniel. We are all wishing you the very best.

Coleen Nolan, Loose Women panellist: What Nathaniel is going through is every familys worst nightmare. They are so close to the treatment he desperately needs, and the kindness of strangers can help him.

Benidorms Sherrie Hewson: Every child deserves the best chance at life, and while there is hope for Nathaniel, we mustnt give up. He has shown such bravery coming this far and now he needs a chance at the treatment that could save him. I hope everyone will get behind this courageous little boy and his family to donate and give him a future.

Samantha Giles, Hollyoaks actress: If you can manage to donate just a pound, it could potentially save Nathaniels life. Thank you, thank you! Youve done something wonderful.

Entrepreneur and presenter Saira Khan: If we can all give a little bit, we can help to save this little boys life.

TV and stage star Claire Sweeney: GOSH consultants have graciously waived their fee, but we still need to raise 150,000 for a life-saving stem cell treatment. Please dig deep we only have three days to save this beautiful boy.

The transplant treatment is not available in his home country and he was too sick to travel.

Ebi and Modupe were in despair when they first spoke to us three months ago.

But Sunday People readers stepped in to raise 87,000 for chemo which has given him a chance of surviving a transplant.

Clinicians have lowered costs after Nathaniel responded better than expected to treatment and needed less chemo.

And last week we revealed consultants at GOSH have waived their private fees to help Nathaniel.

The 201,103 covers the donor stem cell transplant and the cost of care, excluding consultants fees, based on a typical inpatient admission of eight weeks and a three-month post-transplant follow-up as an outpatient.

Professor Ajay Vora, a consultant paediatric haematologist at GOSH, said: All the consultants involved in his care are working in a private capacity and have waived their fee because they want to help him.

Our time is not borrowed from the NHS because we are treating Nathaniel in our private service in our time.

If enough is raised for the transplant, Nathaniel will undergo tests to begin the process on Friday, May 14.

Doctors had hoped to have a bone marrow transplant from one of his two sisters Nadia, 11, and Nicole, 21 months.

But they were not a match.

Ebi said: Even to get to this point where we may have access to treatment is a miracle.

"Wed given up hope.

The mum of a girl who was saved by a stem cell transplant five years ago has urged readers to back Nathaniel.

Marie Stark said energetic Ava who loves anything that involves running around is a testament to what the procedure can do.

She said: The fact his family is having to raise money while theyre so worried about him, I cant even imagine how hard that is. I remember that desperation, of wanting to do whatever you can to save your child.

Aged three, Ava was diagnosed with blood disorder aplastic anemia and had just months to live if no stem cell donor was found.

Her plight sparked a nationwide search, with Marie, a car rental worker, describing the race to save her girl as a ticking time bomb.

Ava, of Lochgelly, Fife, had a transplant in late 2016. Now eight, Ava loves riding her scooter, walking her dogs and trampolining.

Marie, 38, who was supported by blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, said: I know first hand the good a stem cell transplant can do. If everybody gave 50p or 1 there would be so much money there to help Nathaniel.

Join the stem cell register: anthonynolan.org/help-save-a-life/join-stem-cell-register

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Nathaniel's family have just three days to raise 150,000 for life-saving operation - Mirror Online