Matt Lucas and Simon Brodkin help raise £10,500 for five-year-old’s cancer fight
‘Jokes for Jake’ event features top comedians in aid of young Yavneh pupil who has a rare and aggressive form of the disease called neuroblastoma
More than 200 people helped raise £10,500 for a five-year old Jewish boy with cancer at Elstree Studios on Sunday night, during an evening of humour and laughs.
The ‘Jokes for Jake’ event, featuring Jewish comedians such as Bennett Arron, was in aid of Jake Cohen, a Yavneh Primary School pupil who has a rare and aggressive form of cancer called neuroblastoma.
Jake’s family, who live in Borehamwood, are raising money for experimental treatment in the US in case their son does not respond to treatment, and Sunday night’s event has now pushed the total raised to £140,000. You can donate here.
Arron hosted the event, which included performances from Cally Beaton, Josh Howie and Simon Brodkin, while Matt Lucas presented a prize draw.
“It was an amazing night, planned entirely by a group of wonderful ladies from our school community,” said Jake’s mother Hannah.
“We raised £10,550 which was incredible. Our campaign is going really well and there are many other events taking place in the coming months to help that total to keep rising.”
Neuroblastoma affects babies and infants, and despite warranting the most intense treatment regime of any form of cancer, recurs in up to half of all instances. Survival rates for relapsed neuroblastoma are around ten percent.
After several rounds of chemotherapy Jake’s cancer has still not been beaten. He is undergoing a round of immunotherapy, with radiotherapy and surgery still to come, but his parents Hannah and Adam say they a fundraising for any future eventualities.
- Anyone wishing to donate can do so here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/jakecohen
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