Billingham School raises thousands for little boy with rare blood condition

Samuel Cumpson is a superhero.

The brave little boy has battled a rare blood condition since he was a baby.

And now after years of regular blood transfusions and difficulties, a bone marrow match has been found for the seven-year-old.

This means he and his family will have to leave their life in Billingham behind for up to six months and now face a race to raise funds to support them during this time.

But Samuel’s schoolfriends, their parents and teachers at Prior’s Mill Primary School have given a helping hand - raising £3,000 after hosting a superhero day in his honour.

“I am totally overwhelmed,” said his mum Rayanne Durnion, 35. “We can’t thank everyone enough for their support.

“We need to raise £15,000 to £20,000 for our time in London as both me and Samuel’s dad will need to take career breaks.”

Samuel, who appeared on the ITV series, Kids With Cameras: Diary of a Children’s Ward, has Diamond Blackfan Anaemia (DBA) - a rare blood condition whose sufferers fail to produce red blood cells properly.

Samuel with mum Rayanne Durnion and grandfather Patrick Durnion.

As well as regular blood transfusions, he also has a permanent portacath in the side of his chest - a small appliance under the skin connected to a vein where medicine or blood can be given. This controls the iron levels in his blood.

Samuel, whose father Anthony, 39, is an engineer, has been on the waiting list for a bone marrow transplant since January.

This April, a match was discovered and it is hoped that he will have the transplant operation in the spring. If successful, it will put a stop to the regular transfusions Samuel has to endure.

“He has had a really tough time recently as he has been in and out of hospital with infections,” said Rayanne, a specialist chemotherapy nurse at the Sunderland Royal Hospital and also mum to two-year-old Corey-Ray.

“What he is facing is not going to be easy but people’s generosity will help his journey.”

Jessica Harrison, Samuel’s class teacher, said: “We think of Samuel as a superhero and it is his favourite theme so we thought it would be great to do something with that at school.

“People could donate or as little as much as they wanted and we are so pleased to have raised £3,000 to help Samuel and his family.”

To donate, click here.