Club duo meet 12-year-old Kiegan Wilcox, a Bolton fan recently diagnosed with a rare form of cancer
Academy graduate Josh Vela and Bolton Wanderers Community Trust ambassador Tony Kelly recently paid a visit to a young supporter who is currently battling cancer.
12-year-old Kiegan Wilcox, a student at Thornleigh High School, was diagnosed with Nasopharyngeal Carsinoma cancer just before Christmas - a rare form of the disease which starts at the back of the nose, working its way through the glands into the neck and eventually spreading into the lungs.
Luckily, it was discovered before it had reached Kiegan’s lungs, with the doctors hopeful that the youngster will recover with intense treatment.
And Vela, alongside Kelly, took time on Thursday afternoon to meet Kiegan, alongside providing two signed shirts to the Fallon family - one for the youngster himself, and one for a raffle to gain funds for his treatment.
Kiegan started chemotherapy at Manchester Children’s Hospital in late December and will continue to receive treatment until the end of February when he will travel to the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute to begin a form of radiotherapy which is not available in England.
The NHS are funding the treatment and flights for one parent and Kiegan, but the family are currently fundraising money in order to ensure that both parents are able to travel with their son to America.
Kiegan’s mother Nina thanked the club for their support, saying: “Thanks so much to Tony and Josh for taking time out of their day to come and visit Kiegan – they really made his day as well as mine and his dad’s and put a big smile on his face.
“I can’t express how grateful we are for what they did - it was just fantastic and he’ll never forget it.”
For more information on Kiegan’s condition and to donate to the cause, please visit www.gofundme.com/jip9q4.