A teenager given just months to live is using his remaining time to fundraise for a little boy from the same town who also has cancer in the hope he might beat the disease.
Rhys Langford,19, who has bone cancer, started raising money for six-year-old Jacob Jones after being told his own condition was terminal.
Jacob was diagnosed with neuroblastoma and celebrated a year of being cancer-free before suspicious tumours were spotted by his family earlier this month.
Despite never having met the youngster, Rhys was so moved by his situation that he donated £1,000 from his life savings to a fund set up to help pay for treatment in America.
And now he had gone further by setting up an online crowdfunder which has raised more than £8,000 for Jacob.
Rhys’s mum Catherine said: ‘Rhys found the story of little Jacob. He called me upstairs and he was crying in bed reading the story.
‘He said, “Mum, I want to donate some money to him. He’s six years of age and he’s been ill since he was two. I’d be over the moon if someone would save him.”
‘I couldn’t believe he was thinking about someone else when he’s on death’s door himself.’
Both Rhys and Jacob are from the town of Ebbow Vale in South Wales, but did not know each other.
Catherine said her son privately sent Jacob £1,000 from his savings but wanted to do more so asked about setting up a Go Fund Me page.
She went on: ‘He said, “There’s nothing more they can do for me so if I can help save this little boy.”
‘Our hearts are breaking because we are losing our son but bursting with pride because considering his diagnosis he is thinking of other people.’
Leaving a message on the fundraising page, Rhys said: ‘Reading about little Jacob and his own fight and his cancer relapse has really upset me.
‘I know nothing can be done for me now but as one of my many last wishes, I would like to help Jacob and help him fight this awful disease.
‘I know what the treatments and awful drugs does to your body! It’s hell.
‘Jacob is now six and has been fighting this disease most of his life. It should not be this way!
‘Jacob’s family are looking to raise money again for treatment. I have transferred £1,000 to Jacob’s family privately but it’s still not enough.’
Before falling ill, Rhys was an active young man, who was a black belt in the martial art Krav Maga.
But he has spent the past 16-months undergoing gruelling treatment for osteosarcoma.
The former labourer has had surgery to remove bones and muscle from his hip, bottom and leg, as well as chemotherapy.
In August he was given the all-clear, only for the disease to return in November.
He was told his condition was terminal earlier this month.
You can donate to Rhys’s fundraising page here.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.