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Haverhill boys, seven, show their solidarity for their friend by shaving their heads




Two seven-year-olds have literally thrown themselves head first into showing support for their poorly best friend by having their heads shaved - so 'they can be like him.'

On Sunday Jake Tofts and Ewan Williams had their heads shaved by their respective dads, Robin and Matthew, to help eight-year-old Rhean Williamson, who has lost his own hair due to the treatment he is having for a brain tumour.

The three boys, all pupils at Burton End Primary Academy in their home town of Haverhill, have been mates since their time together in nursery.

Seven-year-olds Jake Tofts, left, and Ewan Williams, right had their heads shaved so they 'can be like' their friend Rhean Williamson,8, centre, who has lost his hair because of treatment for a brain tumour. Picture by Mark Westley.
Seven-year-olds Jake Tofts, left, and Ewan Williams, right had their heads shaved so they 'can be like' their friend Rhean Williamson,8, centre, who has lost his hair because of treatment for a brain tumour. Picture by Mark Westley.

Jake's mum, Kathleen Tofts, said: "Jake said 'I saw Rhean, he looked really cool, but he gets a funny feeling in his belly because people are staring at him and that's really sad, so we could all be the same' and I thought that was really good.

"Ewan had gone home and pretty much said the same thing and I thought if they are going to do this they may as well try to raise some money. "

With that in mind, Kathleen has also set up a fund-raising page to help raise money for Rhean's parents Nicola and Shaun.

Jake Tofts, seven (left) and Ewan Williams, seven (right), with their respective parents behind them and the boys' friend Rhean Williamson, eight, before their heads were shaved . Picture by Mark Westley
Jake Tofts, seven (left) and Ewan Williams, seven (right), with their respective parents behind them and the boys' friend Rhean Williamson, eight, before their heads were shaved . Picture by Mark Westley

Nicola and Shaun, who have two other children, Millie, three and Nylah, four months, are both unable to work while Rhean goes through his extensive treatment for the tumour.

It was back in October that Rhean's mum said she first spotted something was not right with his eye, which led to a visit to the optician, who then referred him to the eye clinic at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

Tests at the clinic revealed something was wrong and a subsequent picture showed a shadow at the back of his eye.

An MRi scan then showed a 7 by 5 by 5cm cyst around a thumbnail size tumour that proved to be cancerous.

Two operations have followed, the first on what was Nicola's birthday, December 12.

She said: "We found out on December 23 he had to have a second operation (on December 31) but we said nothing to him, we let him enjoy Christmas."

Although the two operations have resulted in the tumour and cyst being successfully removed, fears that there may be some cancer cells left mean Rhean has to have numerous radiotherapy sessions.

He now has about ten sessions left and in mid-May will start a course of four chemotherapy sessions, each one four weeks apart, thankfully the prognosis for Rhean making a full recovery is a positive one.

Nicola said: "Everyone has said he (Rhean) has done so amazingly. Even all the people that deliver the treatment have said he is the best patient they have."

Nicola also praised her husband's employer, haulage and plant company, G Webb, for the support they have shown in keeping his job open for him and even providing Rhean with a builder bear teddy.