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A father suffering from a terminal brain tumour has said his final wish is to pay for his daughter's cancer treatment which the NHS do not fund. Tom Attwater, 30, has said he hopes to raise £500,000 for his daughter Kelli who suffers from a high-risk childhood cancer.
Although she is currently in remission, the specialist stem cell treatment Kelli will need if she relapses is not provided by the NHS.
It would cost at least £500,000 to fly her and her family to America or Germany for the life-saving treatment.
Tom Attwater (left) has said his dying his wish is to raise enough money to pay for treatment for his daughter Kelli (centre)
Business manager Mr Attwater said: 'Kelli is an amazing little girl. She’s the most inspiring person I know and she’s only four.
'I am 30, I have had a very good life. I can accept it. At four years old how can you accept it? You haven’t had any chance to live.
'Because Kelli has relapsed once, doctors have said she’s likely to again. I need to know that she’ll be looked after when I’m gone.'
Kelli was first diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was three months old. She underwent seven months of chemotherapy and several operations.
The chemotherapy Kelli had also makes her more likely to develop other types of cancer, including leukaemia. In August last year she suffered a relapse.
Despite now being in remission for a second time Kelli's family have been told she is likely to relapse again. If she does she will need treatment that is not provided by the NHS.
Kelli was first diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was three months old. She underwent seven months of chemotherapy and several operations
She would have to be flown to either America or Germany, where she would be treated with stem cells in the attempt to develop a new immune system.
Mr Attwater said: 'It’s disgraceful that the NHS will pay for someone’s boob job, but not treat a child for cancer.
'I’ve always paid my taxes, I’ve always worked, and now when we need to put them to use we can’t. It’s incredibly unfair and it makes me very angry.'
The chemotherapy Kelli had also makes her more likely to develop other types of cancer, including leukaemia
Mr Attwater was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour in September and was told it was terminal in April.
Kelli’s mother, Joely Smith, 26, a primary education student, said: 'It was a double blow for me.
'Tom didn’t look anything up on the internet, but I couldn’t help myself.
'He only wanted to know how much time he had left. His life expectancy is two to three years, and he’s already had one.'
Mr Attwater had suffered from headaches but did not think it was anything serious until he collapsed and suffered a seizure in his sister’s kitchen.
Doctors found a tumour in his brain. If it had been left much longer the pressure would have killed him.
Mr Attwater said: 'When I found out it was terminal, part of me did think, "I’m a 29-year-old man and I’ve achieved nothing".
'But then I made lists of things I wanted to do - one for a month, one for six, one for a year and so on.
'We’d love to have another child but right now I just need to make sure that if the worst does happen Kelli will be looked after.
'I know half a million pounds is a lot of money, but the chances of Kelli relapsing are so high.
'If 1,000 pubs or shops had a collection box then in a year we’d have achieved what we need to.
'We’re trying everything - sponsored events, selling wristbands, collection boxes. I don’t want to hit that target, I need to.
'Before my time runs out I have to do everything possible to help Kelli. Please help me to do so.
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