Fundraising event at gentlemen’s club to support teenager with rare childhood cancer

Community-spirited business owners at the Garudaa Gentlemen’s Club are donating event profits to help a teenager with his race against time to fund treatment for a rare childhood cancer.

Jamie’s Quest is almost halfway to its £300k target to pay for trial immunotherapy vaccine treatment from Germany, which his parents believe could help to save his life.

Jamie, aged 13, has relapsed with the rare childhood cancer Rhabdomyosarcoma and has been undergoing chemotherapy at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. But his family fear he could become resistant to treatment after so many rounds of chemotherapy and the new trial treatment is not available on the NHS.

On his GoFundMe page, his mother Sam Holson said: “We do not like to ask for hand-outs, but these are extreme and exceptional circumstances. Please help us by donating what you can, no matter how small. Every donation counts and every penny will go towards his lifesaving treatment. Please give what you can so we can beat the ticking clock and Jamie can beat his cancer.”

Garudaa manager Richard Winterbottom said: “We want to bring awareness to this fundraiser to help the family reach the target they need.”

He added: “We have done previous events in the past to help raise awareness and funds for other people in need of help.”

Live shows at fundraising event

All door takings from the upcoming event at Garudaa Gentlemen’s Club on Saturday 9th November will go to support Jamie.

The event at the recently renovated and expanded club features live stage shows all evening from 10pm to 5am including pole dancing, acrobatics and burlesque dancing.

Previous fundraising events have been held at the club to support local homeless man Danny and his canine companion Dizzee Rascal, who had become friends with staff during their time on the streets.

The club also raised money to support Kim’s Chance, raising funds for a sepsis sufferer who needed a prosthetic hand.

Richard added: “We hold events at the club around four times a year and are looking for other people in need of help to try raise money and bring awareness. So if anyone in the community knows of someone or has something they need help with then get in contact.”