Horsham family’s joy after son’s cancer treatment success

Eight-year-old Alex, of Hawkesbourne Road, underwent treatment for leukaemia after he was diagnosed in 2010. He only went into remission in October. On June 15 his father Mark, 41, enjoyed a day-out with his wife Corinne, in-laws, and two children, Alex and Charlotte, three. Mark said: “It was a nice day. The kids enjoyed riding their bikes and feeding the ducks, as kids do. “Other times it may have been a bit more restricted depending how Alex was. The chemotherapy takes its toll.” Corinne was pregnant with Charlotte when Alex was diagnosed. Speaking of the diagnosis, Mark said: “My wife and I looked at each other with our mouths open in total shock. “It was devastating news, made much worse because my wife was almost seven months pregnant.” Alex stayed at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton for two weeks to start his “gruelling” chemotherapy treatment. Alex continued his treatment until the cancer went into remission. Mark said: “Alexander is now under maintenance treatment and doing well. “We are slowly seeing some sort of normality in our little boy. It was a good feeling to not have this bad medicine but at the same time we are still conscious that things are not finished yet.” Mark thanked the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity and one of its support workers Jayne for helping them. Mark said: “Jayne and the Rainbow Trust team have been a massive help to us not only practically but emotionally too, offering a shoulder to cry on or someone who would listen to our concerns.”