Harlow dad donates £10m to hospital after son's diagnosis

A dad has made a £10m donation to a children's hospital after his son was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour.

Julius was four years old when he started experiencing seizures every day which sent his parents Clare and Bradley Jones's "world into turmoil."

Mr Jones himself ended up in intensive care and "nearly died" due to stress.

The money, raised through his prize fund business, will go to the Cambridge Children's Hospital, which is set to open in 2027.

Mr Jones, from Harlow, Essex, founded the Julius Jones Trust in May to offer mental health and emotional support services for children, young people and their families dealing with life-changing diagnoses.

After his son's diagnosis in 2022, entrepreneur Mr Jones threw himself into work to provide financial support for his family - but ended up in hospital himself.

Mrs Jones said: "He was so stressed out with what was happening with Julius.

"We both dealt with it differently... and he was ignoring signs and he wasn't looking after himself.

"He ended getting this infection in his mouth and throat and he was in intensive care and he nearly died."

Mr Jones added: "I laid there in theatre before my operation when they told me there is a slim chance we can get through this and I'd be in a coma after.

"And I thought my son will be in the same position soon and he will not have a dad, I felt the worst I had ever felt in my life.

"I thought - 'why have I done that?'

"I knew it was because I could not mentally cope with what my son was going through and after that I wanted to help just parents not make the same mistake I made."

Mr Jones says Julius, who is now five years old, is doing "fantastic".

The money was raised after Mr Jones set up a business called WinAmazing, where people can enter a raffle draw and win prizes, including a house, cars and holidays.

Mr Jones buys the prizes with his own money and 100% of the funds raised are donated to charity.

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