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In 2019, the plight of little Oscar Saxelby-Lee made the news. The then 5-year-old was only given three months to live. His last chance was a stem cell transplant, but finding a match wouldn’t be an easy task with such short notice. Hoping to save the little boy’s life, Pitmaston Primary School in Worcester, England, where Oscar studied, organized a stem cell donation drive. In the end, 4,855 people waited for hours in the rain to get tested and see if they matched Oscar.
“What a fantastic turn out for our little warrior and those on need of a stem cell transplant,” wrote his dad, Jamie Lee, on Facebook. “We cannot thank you all enough, Worcester you have shown such warmth and humbleness these past few days! We have also heard people have travelled a great distance just to show their support which is incredible. You guys are wonderful people so a massive well done to you all.”
Sadly, that wasn’t the end of little Oscar’s troubles. Although a match was found, doctors later discovered the disease had returned despite Oscar’s stem cell transplant. Things took a turn for the worse when the UK’s National Health Service let them know they wouldn’t fund a second transplant or a potentially new cell therapy treatment. Desperate, the parents were able to raise the £500,000 (about $67,000) needed to send Oscar to Singapore to receive leukemia treatment.
Upon his return to the UK in the summer of 2020, Oscar’s health continued to improve. He has now been cancer-free for over four years. Today, Oscar continues to have routine checkups and has undergone some surgeries due to his delicate state, such as a kidney stone removal procedure, a hip surgery, and, most recently, a cataract surgery.
But the little boy, who recently turned 10, keeps his chin up. He enjoys going to school, where he gets to run around and see his friends. He also became a big brother to a little boy named Jacob, who was born with microtia (a congenital deformity that causes the external ear to be underdeveloped) and has also had to spend some time at the hospital himself. Still, Oscar, a devoted brother is there for him, preparing him lunches as he himself gets ready for the challenges that come his way with a big smile that has inspire thousands.
To stay up to date with Oscar, follow the Saxelby-Lee family on Instagram.
This is Oscar Saxelby-Lee, a brave 10-year-old cancer survivor.
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In 2019, thousands lined up with hopes to donate stem cells and save little Oscar’s life.
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Although a match was found, doctors later discovered the disease had returned despite Oscar’s stem cell transplant.
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Luckily, Oscar has been cancer-free for over four years now and recently celebrated his 10th birthday.
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He also became a big brother to a little boy named Jacob.
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The Saxelby-Lee Family: Instagram
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