Incredible moment brave charity champ, 13, rings bell after cancer treatment with best pal by his side
09.02.2024 - 20:33
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
This is the inspirational moment a young charity champion rings the bell at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital live on the BBC to mark the end of his cancer treatment.
Hughie Higginson, now 13, was just 10 when he was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2020. He started fundraising for the hospital after the diagnosis and at his side all the way was his best pal, Freddie Xavi.
Freddie joined in when Hughie was too ill to take part in fundraisers and incredibly, they have now raised just short of £350,000 for the hospital alone. Both Freddie and Hughie, who got the all-clear in November, are Pride of Britain award winners.
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Freddie held the bell while tearful Hughie rang it loud and proud three times at the hospital this week - live on BBC Breakfast. Speaking to Good Morning Britain on Friday, Hughie spoke of 'such a good day' - and said they now wanted to do more for the hospital.
He said: "I am relieved that it is over but also sad because I have made such a bond with other kids at the hospital, the nurses, all the staff there. It's going to be sad as well because I have been there every week for three and a half years. Now it's gone and it feels a bit weird. I'm relieved that it's over but I will also miss it."
Freddie, meanwhile, said it was 'hard to see' his mate 'go through such a hard time'. "I knew that he would get through it eventually, but I knew he would have to go through ups and downs to get there," he said.
The pals, from Burnley in Lancashire, have won a number of awards, including the Young Fundraisers of the Year award at the Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards in 2021.
Freddie ran two kilometres a day in the 50 days up to