The Alfie's Wishes Fund
Inspired by Alfie, his family has set up The Alfie’s Wishes Fund to grant wishes to children affected by neuroblastoma without curative treatment options who are supported by Solving Kids’ Cancer UK.
Alfie’s story
Alfie was born on the 19th August 2007. To his parents, Cheree and Steven, he was the most beautiful boy in the world.
Alfie was cheeky, happy, full of character and had the most infectious laugh imaginable; his smile would melt anyone’s heart. Alfie’s best-loved foods were sausages and garlic pizza, and he loved many things in life including Disney characters like Belle and Princess Sofia. He believed in fairies and all things magic as well as Superheroes. Fire engines were also one of Alfie’s favourite things. He knew everything there was to know about the fire service and loved going to his local fire station where he was made an honorary member. He couldn’t wait to be a big boy and be ‘Firefighter Alfie Sharpe’.
In September 2011, Alfie became unwell and after numerous visits to his doctor was taken to Accident and Emergency at their local hospital in Kilmarnock. Tests and scans revealed that Alfie had stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma – an aggressive childhood cancer. His parents were devastated but vowed there and then to never give up. They had to keep fighting to get Alfie better.
Alfie’s treatment regime included eight rounds of rapid COJEC chemotherapy, four rounds of TVD, two rounds of MIBG therapy, surgery to remove the tumour and high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant. Sadly, with minimal response to treatment, Alfie required further chemotherapy to try and clear the disease.
At that time, the family began fundraising with Solving Kids’ Cancer UK (then the NCCA UK) to help Alfie should he need to follow an expensive treatment path not yet available through the NHS.
After eight rounds of temozolomide with irinotecan, Alfie was able to receive long infusion immunotherapy with CIS retinoic acid here in the UK.
At the end of October 2013, after two years of continuous treatment, Alfie’s parents received the news they had all fought so hard to hear - six-year-old Alfie showed no evidence of disease. For Cheree and Steven, this was the second most amazing day of their lives, the first being when their precious Alfie was born.
The family began planning their future together; holidays, parties, Christmas, and things they wanted Alfie to see and experience in life. A united family, this amazing journey forward was supposed to be one free of neuroblastoma.
Making memories
Devastatingly, in March 2014, Cheree and Steven’s world was torn apart again – they found out that neuroblastoma had returned. Alfie had disease in the brain and this time there were no further treatments available anywhere that could help him. He was terminally ill, just two weeks after completing all his treatment.
Cheree and Steven’s priority was for Alfie to experience as many of those lifelong plans as possible in whatever precious time they had left. “We wanted to make every moment magical as our fairy tale was not going to be happy ever after. No amount of time would have ever been enough,” said Steven and Cheree.
They had just five and a half weeks with their amazing son.
Alfie, forever 6
“We will forever love Alfie more than words can describe and our hearts ache with a hole that nobody could ever fill. Alfie, you are truly amazing and perfect in every way.”
Alfie’s parents, Steven and Cheree
Alfie's legacy
Cheree and Steven knew Alfie would have wanted other heroes and princesses to have opportunities to create happy memories and this is why they set up The Alfie’s Wishes Fund.
The Alfie’s Wishes Fund grants wishes to children supported by Solving Kids’ Cancer UK up to the maximum value of £2,000.
“Alfie was a child, a farmer, a chef, a superhero, a racing car driver, and a fireman but most of all, away from the hospital and relentless medical procedures, Alfie was happy. Surrounded by love and his family, he was one in a million, right up until the very end. Neuroblastoma may have had Alfie, but Alfie didn’t have neuroblastoma. He never let neuroblastoma stand in his way. He was utterly inspirational.”
Alfie’s mum, Cheree
Terms and conditions
Solving Kids’ Cancer UK makes no deductions from donations made to Alfie’s Wishes. 100% of the funds raised go to funding pastoral requests for families when they need it most in line with the families wishes.