Teenage Lottery Millionaire Funds Cancer Boy's Dying Wish

Teenage Lottery Millionaire Funds Cancer Boy's Dying Wish
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SWNS

A teenager who won £1 million on the lottery has stepped in to make a desperately ill boy's dream holiday to Florida a reality.

Jane Park, who won the lottery when she was 17, was so moved by the plight of 15-year-old Leon Rendle that she's offered to pay for him to go to Universal Studios in Orlando to fulfil his wish to swim with dolphins.

Insurance firms have refused to cover Leon – who has the deadly bone cancer Ewing's sarcoma - for the US visit, so Jane – who has said she's 'bored spending money' - has offered her financial help.

Leon's mum Nicky thanked Jane for the 'very, very kind' gesture.

Down-to-earth Jane, now 19 - who still lives with her mum - told the Daily Record: "I was very moved when I heard about Leon and got in touch with his mum.

"I'm heartbroken for the family. The doctors say Leon is fit to travel so I don't see what the problem is.

"I told them it didn't matter how big or small it was, I would try and help in any way."

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Nicky, 42, said the insurance blow came after doctors supported the two-week holiday for Leon.

The teenager has Ewing's sarcoma, which affects fewer than 30 children in the UK each year, attacking the bones and most commonly occurring in the long bones, ribs, pelvis and spine.

Nicky says because his cancer is so unusual, insurance companies won't even quote a price.

Nicky, from Lochend, Edinburgh, said: "It's very, very kind of Jane. She got in touch with me over Facebook and I've written back to thank her and say how much we appreciate it.

"What Leon has is so different from typical Ewing's sarcoma that the computer checklist used by the insurance firms always says 'no'.

"The problem is we're not even getting offers at the moment. They say they can't cover Leon's condition.

"And because he's a kid he's always seeing doctors so they can monitor him. The insurance firms see all those doctor visits and think, 'Woah, we're not insuring him'.

"We have to fly out on March 26 so we can be back for his next stage of Leon's chemotherapy so time is running out."

Nicky said Leon knows it might be his last chance to enjoy a break with her, dad James, 42, and ten-year-old sister Chloe.

She added: "We've never been to America and Leon loves the Transformers movies and wants to see them at Universal Studios."