THE family of an ‘ever-smiling’ Gawber youngster who died of terminal cancer last year are set to continue their ‘superhero’ son’s legacy by setting a £100,000 fundraising goal for a charity close to their hearts.
Oliver Howe, eight, was first diagnosed with cancer in September 2020 and, despite everything, always had a smile on his face.
After ringing the cancer treatment bell in 2021, the disease devastatingly returned later that year and he died on February 1.
Oliver still managed to raise thousands for charities during his gruelling treatment.
Recalling the day of Oliver’s diagnosis, Oliver’s dad, David, said: “He walked into our bedroom in the middle of the night.
“His exact words were ‘my brain hurts’.
“Within an hour, he was in and out of consciousness, so we rang for an ambulance.”
Oliver was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive brain tumour at Sheffield Children’s Hospital that same day, where he was immediately operated on.
The lifesaving surgery lasted almost ten hours, successfully removing 80 per cent of the growth.
Over the next three years of his life, Oliver was treated on the charity’s funded cancer and leukaemia ward - receiving nine surgeries and multiple chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments in the process.
As a thank you to the tremendous work staff at the hospital were doing, Oliver’s family decided to fundraise for a variety of charities under the guise of Team Oliver Howe.
Oliver gained support from his beloved Sheffield Steelers, including from their captain Robert Dowd, local Morrisons supermarkets, and celebrity patrons of The Children’s Hospital Charity including comedians Jon Richardson, Lucy Beaumont, and presenter Dan Walker.
They managed to raise more than £100,000 in his memory.
But it hasn’t stopped there as his family are aiming to raise a further £100,000 through the creation of Oliver’s Memory Meadow - a place to pause and take a moment to reflect on your loved ones.
David added: “The legacy that Oliver started has already raised so much money and helped so many other boys and girls and Oliver loved this.
“He took on his cancer diagnosis with pride so that he could channel his illness into something good.
“Cancer may have been the cause but please don’t ever think or say that Oliver lost his battle or lost the fight.
“He was and always will be a winner.
“He defied all the odds and helped the nurses, doctors, and consultants learn new things and improve their knowledge to help future boys and girls.
“Cancer didn’t define Oliver - it brought out the superhero that was always inside of him.”
His mum, Laura, added: “Oliver would be so happy knowing that he has a Memory Meadow.
“Sheffield Children’s Hospital was his home for three years and he loved his hospital family.
“We will continue to make him proud and help in any way we can to keep his memory alive.”
Lucy Cain, community fundraising manager at The Children’s Hospital Charity, has paid tribute to Oliver - and thanked the family for their continued support.
She said: “We are so proud of Team Oliver Howe and all of the fundraising they’ve done over the last few years.
“Oliver was just amazing. He was so brave, and it was an honour to have known him.
“It’s incredible to see how David and Laura are keeping his legacy alive and we’ll do anything we can at the Charity to help them do so.”
