WITH the hopes of raising a large sum of money one resident of Five Lanes, is holding a charity auction to help pay for a life-saving treatment in America for a young boy diagnosed with a rare cancer.

A charity auction will be run by Jeannette Weaver, at the King’s Head, Five Lanes, on Saturday, January 28, beginning at 7pm with a number of lots available to bid on to raise money for a young boy, who has been diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive form of cancer.

Riley Dean Clay, 11-months old, is one of triplets and has been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer known as ‘Cancer Extra Renal Rhabdoid’.

It is one of the more difficult cancers to treat, due to its location, and further scans will establish a full prognosis for Riley soon.

Treatment for a malignant rhaboid tumour may involve a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Unfortunately due to the rare and aggressive nature of the tumour there is no defined standard of care and treatment options will have to be tailored to suit Riley’s needs.

It was recently discovered that further treatment in America will be needed to treat Riley as it is not available in the UK — this has set the bar for fundraising quite high, with the family hoping to raise around £50,000.

While there are travel costs involved, accommodation for Riley’s parents and brothers and sisters, Bethany, Oscar and Toby, will have to be sourced, adding to costs.

Ms Weaver, a friend of the family, would like to raise as much as money as possible to help towards their trip to get Riley the treatment he needs.

So far, Ms Weaver said she has sourced a number or prizes for the charity auction, including ‘a number of horsey items’.

Oliver Sherwood, national hunt racing trainer, has donated a signed print of the Grand National winning horse ‘Many Clouds’ and Sir Anthony Peter McCoy has donated a signed ‘Last Race’ print — it is hoped these items will prove popular and raised a substantial sum towards Riley’s treatment.

There is an estimated 40 lots in the sale and around 90% of businesses in Launceston have donated prizes for the charity auction, which will be overseen by Kivells auctioneer Patrick Dennis.

All money raised at the auction will be donated to the ‘gofundme’ page set up by Riley’s family, which will be used to get him out to America to the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorder Centre — a world-leading centre in research and treatment of rhaboid tumours.

To help raise money for Riley’s treatment the public can join Ms Weaver’s charity auction, being held at the Kings Head in Five Lanes on Saturday, January 28, starting at 7pm, or visit the website www.gofundme.com/riley-treatment-support-2utsrhg