Couple to walk between cities for son with tumour

A couple are walking between Bristol and Bath to raise money for their four-year-old son who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Abbie, 25, from Radstock in Somerset and Jake, 28, from Frome found out that Elias had a tumour in April after he bumped his head and displayed unusual symptoms.

The couple, along with 50 others, including 20 bus drivers, are walking between Bristol bus station to Bath bus station on Sunday 26 May.

Abbie said: "We want to make memories with our son."

She said: "My dad works for First Bus and him and a few colleagues have all come together to plan this walk.

"First Bus have helped too, so we're walking the X39 route - a route they all know."

The walk is starting at 10:00 BST from the Bristol bus station on Marlborough Street, to a pit stop at the Talbot Inn in Keynsham before finishing at Bath bus station on Southgate Street.

The walk, organised by Elias' granddad Mike and fellow bus driver Gary Coombes was expected to take six hours.

Mum-of-three Abbie said: "Back in April Elias bumped his head and when his eye went droopy and he went limp like a new-born so I took him to A&E and was told that he was fine.

"But while we were in hospital he developed a walk that was different to what he usually did but they said he may have just hurt his leg."

The family went back and forth to the Royal United Hospital in Bath and on April 15 a CT scan was ordered which showed an abnormality on Elias brain.

An MRI at Bristol Children's Hospital the next day confirmed it was a brain tumour.

"We just knew something wasn't right," Abbie said.

Elias has now had three weeks of radiotherapy and in another six to eight weeks he will have another MRI scan which will then determine the next steps.

She said: "There could possibly be other treatments but we're not sure, it depends on the MRI."

Jake said: "Elias is the funniest, cheekiest, happiest most loving little boy, he's got his funny ways.

"Like all mums they have an instinct, Abbie seemed to know right away that something bad was wrong, whereas I didn't expect it."

A fundraiser has been started to support the family which has already raised over £11,000.

The couple have said they would use the money to help support them and possibly take Elias to Disneyland Paris.

"We want to get the word out there that these kids are suffering from these types of tumours and cancers.

"Childhood cancer is so underfunded, so even if people don't donate to us they could donate to childhood cancer charities, we'd be so grateful," Abbie said.

First West of England driver Gary Coombes, who is among the drivers taking part in the charity walk at the weekend, said: “This is such a heart-breaking story for the family that we simply had to do something to help, and even more so because little Elias is the grandson of one of our colleagues.

"It is great to get so many of our colleagues together with others this weekend for the charity walk and help raise even more cash to support the family and help get Elias on his dream trip to Disneyland.”

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