Mum's charity challenge in memory of her seven-year-old son

A mum will embark upon a series of charity challenges after her seven-year-old son died from a rare condition he developed as a result of leukaemia treatment.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Mar 2018, 16:26 GMT
Updated 29th Mar 2018, 17:31 GMT
Blake Holdsworth was diagnosed with leukaemia aged five, he died aged seven in November last year. His family are now doing a series of charity events beginning with a charity cycle on Saturday March 31. Pictured is mum Elaine and Alana and Draiden HoldsworthBlake Holdsworth was diagnosed with leukaemia aged five, he died aged seven in November last year. His family are now doing a series of charity events beginning with a charity cycle on Saturday March 31. Pictured is mum Elaine and Alana and Draiden Holdsworth
Blake Holdsworth was diagnosed with leukaemia aged five, he died aged seven in November last year. His family are now doing a series of charity events beginning with a charity cycle on Saturday March 31. Pictured is mum Elaine and Alana and Draiden Holdsworth

Blake Holdsworth, was responding well to chemotherapy after he was diagnosed.

But he developed hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) – a condition that makes the body produce too many immune cells – and died on November 30.

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Now his mum, Elaine, 37, and seven family members and friends will take on eight charity challenges to mark what would have been Blake’s eighth year.

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Blake Holdsworth was diagnosed with leukaemia aged five, he died aged seven in November last year. His family are now doing a series of charity events beginning with a charity cycle on Saturday March 31. Pictured is mum Elaine and Alana and Draiden HoldsworthBlake Holdsworth was diagnosed with leukaemia aged five, he died aged seven in November last year. His family are now doing a series of charity events beginning with a charity cycle on Saturday March 31. Pictured is mum Elaine and Alana and Draiden Holdsworth
Blake Holdsworth was diagnosed with leukaemia aged five, he died aged seven in November last year. His family are now doing a series of charity events beginning with a charity cycle on Saturday March 31. Pictured is mum Elaine and Alana and Draiden Holdsworth

She said: “He was such a special boy. He was so wonderful and everyone who met him with him knew how special he was.

“HLH it is so rare and people think he died from leukaemia but he didn’t. We had to Google the condition. It’s scary when you don’t know and we want to help other families. We want to be a point of contact to help families going through it and offer support.”

The first event will be held tomorrow at Xercise4Less on Denby Dale Road where Elaine and her team will cycle a total of 659km. When Blake was in hospital he received a “bead of courage” for every aspect of treatment he went through.

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The total amounted to 1,318 and that number has been divided across two exercise bikes, deciding the distance to cover at 659km.

Blake Holdsworth was diagnosed with leukaemia aged five, he died aged seven in November last year. His family are now doing a series of charity events beginning with a charity cycle on Saturday March 31. Pictured is mum Elaine and Alana and Draiden HoldsworthBlake Holdsworth was diagnosed with leukaemia aged five, he died aged seven in November last year. His family are now doing a series of charity events beginning with a charity cycle on Saturday March 31. Pictured is mum Elaine and Alana and Draiden Holdsworth
Blake Holdsworth was diagnosed with leukaemia aged five, he died aged seven in November last year. His family are now doing a series of charity events beginning with a charity cycle on Saturday March 31. Pictured is mum Elaine and Alana and Draiden Holdsworth

Elaine, of Corbett Drive near Lupset, said: “Each bead represented his unbroken determination and strength through his chemotherapy treatment, heroically continuing to go through each day with a gorgeous smile on his face.”

Elaine, – and her team of aunties Michelle Robinson, Melissa Holdsworth and Vicky Holdsworth, uncles Danny Holdsworth and Reece Hill, Blake’s brother Draiden Holdsworth, and family friend Nicola Boyce – will complete a “swimathon” at Huddersfield Leisure Centre in April as their next challenge. Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/vicky-holdsworth1 to donate and for a full list of events.

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