Help Alex get his vital operation

“Sometimes there is no next time, no timeouts and no second chances… sometimes it’s now or never.”  

 

Help Alex to keep saying yes to things.

 

Alex Barton is a 22 year old young man living in Enfield/ Hertfordshire. Aged 15 he received the devastating news that he had a brain tumour. Having undergone two months of ground breaking proton therapy in America, he returned to the UK but soon after became very ill, needing emergency surgery to remove excess fluid from his brain.  Alex unfortunately suffered some brain injury and everyday life for him became difficult.

 

Alex is a talented guitarist and pianist, he loves the outdoors and is a budding geologist.   However, at his worst he couldn’t play his beloved instruments, he couldn’t walk, his speech and eyesight was affected and he was unable to continue his school studies. However, he didn’t let his difficulties beat him and following 3 months of neuro rehabilitation at the children's trust in 2014 and with team Alex around him he remained positive and worked hard on his therapies to get his life back on track .  Soon he was able to walk with a stick, play the guitar and piano again and was able to retake his missing years schooling.  Alex went on to pass his GCSE’s and A level’s successfully and was looking forward to going to university to study geology.

 

However, in January 2019, just 3 months into his first year at Leicester University, Alex suffered a brain haemorrhage.  Once again, after being in hospital for 7 weeks  he had to undergo 2 more months of intensive neuro rehabilitation.  This was a tough time for him but, Alex being Alex, he got on with it and amazed everyone with his resilience and hard work.

 

Alex has an inspirational attitude towards the obstacles he’s had to overcome and to the gift of life.  He has met many people on his journey, many of whom are still with us buy some, sadly who are not.  It is to those people he attributes his motivation to keep going and to  ‘keep saying yes to things’.

 

Alex has dedicated a significant amount of time and energy in his short life to raise awareness and hundreds of thousands of pounds for various charities and research projects, bringing hope to those who have none. He is a peer trainer and part of the music therapy team at UCLH hospital and the cancer charity Clic Sargent.  He is an ambassador for the Children’s Trust and in 2018 received a London Children of Courage award.  Alex assumes nothing in life but believes strongly in paying back the support he has received over the last 7 years.

 

Cruelly, Alex has recently received the devastating news that he is now suffering with the condition avascular necrosis (‘bone death’), damage caused by long-term use of high-dose steroids and now needs an urgent hip replacement.  To receive this treatment on the NHS will take a wait of at least 35 weeks and each passing day risks his long-term mobility and he fears he may be confined once more to a wheel chair. A delay in his treatment also means he may have to once again withdraw from university. The operation costs upward of £12,000, which he can have almost immediately if he can fund it.

 

We want Alex to keep saying yes to things. Alex has spent much of his life undergoing treatment, recovering  and trying to help others. We think he and his family deserve a bit of help.

 

Please help fund Alex’s operation.