Making a real difference in Will’s name

Will Woods pictured in September 2012 on his first day of school at Rockcliffe First School.

The Good Will Cause recently reached £115,000 for selected good causes and some of its funding has helped Dr Simon Bomken to be awarded a Clinician Scientist Fellowship by the Medical Research Council.

Will Woods was aged five when he was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma in 2014. He died on June 3 of that year after complications with the treatment, just 13 days from his sixth birthday.

The Good Will Cause was established by his family and friends in the hope that something positive may come out of such a tragic loss. Dr Bomken, a consultant at the RVI in Newcastle and a research team leader at Newcastle University, was part of Will’s medical team.

Supporters have taken part in mass participation running, swimming and other events and family fun days, band nights and quizzes have also brought in funds over the last few years.

Will’s mother, Louise Woods, said: “It’s so humbling that people continue to raise money in Will’s name almost five years after he passed away.

“It’s overwhelming from a parent point of view and we’re so grateful to everyone who has supported the cause. The Whitley Bay community is outstanding.

“The primary aim of The Good Will Cause is to raise and donate the majority of funds to the North of England Children’s Cancer Research Fund and we’re delighted that Dr Simon Bomken has been awarded the fellowship.

“This achievement is ultimately the goal of the fund-raising cause – to make a real and tangible difference to children’s cancer research – but we will continue to fund-raise.

“We donate to St Oswald’s Hospice as the family bereavement unit supported us as a family after we asked it for sibling support for Will’s sister Freya, now aged 14, and it continues to help us.”

The cause also gives funds to smaller children’s causes.

A message to it from Dr Bomken includes the following: ‘My application was heavily reliant on data I generated with funding from The Good Will Cause. This is a big boost for lymphoma research in Newcastle and you played a huge part it making it possible.’

Donations can be made via the Coop Bank – account name: The Good Will Cause; account number: 65733228; sort code: 089299 – or online at www.goldengiving.com/wall/the-good-will-causeMore information about it is available on The Good Will Cause Facebook page.