Fundraising to help ‘wee Matthew’ battle spine cancer

A TRIO of kind-hearted locals recently donned their trainers and sports gear, and took part in a three-hour spinathon in aid of an Omagh lad who has spine cancer.

Organised by Lisa O’Neill and her good friend and neighbour, Claire Logue, the special event saw Lisa, and Claire’s children, PJ Logue and Amy Logue take to an exercise bike for a full hour each to help four-year-old Matthew Noble fund his treatment travel costs.

Little Matthew is a ‘warrior’ who is described as ‘always having a smile on his face’ – but twice a week, he needs to travel to Dublin to receive life-enhancing treatment to keep him well.

He also travels to Belfast regularly for scans and tests.

Lisa, who is Matthew’s aunt, further organised a raffle as part of the spinathon event, and both she and Claire purchased prizes for the winners out of their own pockets to show gratitude to all those who have donated to the cause, which they have coined ‘Travel for Matthew’.

Spurring on the ladies, and entertaining the onlookers on the day with their live music were local musicians, Stefan Walker, Keelan Pritchard and Dean Moore.

“The spinathon was a great success,” Lisa reflected. “We just felt it was so important to help Matthew with his travel costs, as his treatment is so important.

“He just keeps on fighting, even though he hasn’t had an easy time. When he was first diagnosed with spine cancer, he lost full power in his legs, and he had to re-learn how to walk again.

“We want to give Matthew the best life possible, and so we are very grateful to everyone who is helping us fund Matthew’s travel costs so that he can get the treatment he needs to beat this.”

In the near future, Matthew’s family will be organising another fun day in aid of ‘Travel for Matthew’ so watch this space.

Meanwhile, Lisa has thanked everyone for their support thus far.

If you would like to donate to Matthew’s cause to help fund his travel costs, please visit www.gofundme.com/manage/travel-for-matthew. All donations are incredibly appreciated, and mean the world to his family, who are eager to give Matthew the best possible chance at life.