A selfless father put his stepdaughter's needs before his, although they are both stricken with cancer.
Tom Attwater of Pattingham, West Midlands has terminal cancer, but raised over half a million pounds to provide treatment for five-year-old Kelli.
Kelli has neuroblastoma – a malignant tumor that develops from nerve tissue, and primarily affects children and infants. She battled the cancer twice within months, and doctors predict the cancer will recur.
Attwater married Kelli's mother, Joely, just eight months ago, and vowed to raise half a million pounds to provide for his stepdaughter's future treatment. They recently surpassed that goal on crowdfunding website JustGiving.
"I feel elated," Attwater told The Mirror. "When I saw the figures at 100 per cent to target on JustGiving I was in such shock I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Now it's sunk in I feel like the luckiest man alive.
"When Joely and I told Kelli she thanked us for saving for her 'special medicine' and said she was proud of me. That made all the fundraising effort immediately worthwhile."
Although Attwater is jubilant in the hopes of saving Kelli, his health is deteriorating. Radiotherapy for his brain tumor left him severely weakened, and he is bedridden by daily seizures and fatigue.
"Time is running out for me and my health is declining," he admitted. "But I can now spend my time in peace, enjoying my family safe in the knowledge that I have done my best to give Kelli a chance of a long and happy life."
The 32-year-old is also joyous that he and Joely are expecting their first child together.
"Having a baby is high on Tom's bucket list and we're both thrilled, but it's bittersweet as Tom knows he won't be around to see our little bump grow up," Joely shared. "I still feel in denial about that.
"But at the very top of Tom's bucket list is raising the money for Kelli. Tom is the love of my life and my hero."
All monies raised over the goal goes to Families Against Neuroblastoma. More information is available here.
