THE mum of young cancer sufferer Sam Shaw has been ‘overwhelmed’ by all the support being offered to help send him to America for treatment to help save his life.

More than £11,000 has so far been raised for the four-year-old, who is fighting for his life after been diagnosed with high risk neuroblastoma – an aggressive cancer that affects the nerve cells.

Sam, from Hoddlesden, has been suffering from a high temperature this week, and needed treatment at the Royal Blackburn Hospital yesterday, but mum Christine said the support for his appeal is helping him recover.

She said: “We are really really pleased with all the support, it’s been overwhelming. “On Thursday night we ended up with Sam going to hospital because he had a high temperature, but he’s had some antibiotics and is stabilising now and he’s doing all right.”

To increase Sam’s chance of survival by 20 per cent the family need to raise £250,000 by June, in order to access treatment only available in the US.

Several fundraisers have been organised in and around Darwen after the Lancashire Telegraph featured Sam’s story on the front page earlier this month, Hoddlesden Conservative Club raised more than £600 at a St Patrick’s Day event, while Darwen Vale High School PTFA will donate proceeds of its ‘Lion King’ show raffles.

Staff, parents and children at Barnabas House Private Nursery, where Sam is a pupil, are getting ready for a sponsored walk at Jumbles Country Park on April 13 and Darwen Golf Club is staging a fundraiser on April 19. Meanwhile, a group of youngsters are planning to climb Catbells in the Lake District.

Godmother Clare Leadley is among a group who are gearing up for a 10,000ft skydive on Easter Monday, while printing company Inkthreadable are printing some official appeal T-shirts.

If you want to organise an event, call Nikki O'Sullivan at Neuroblastoma Alliance UK, on 0208 2029065. To donate, visit: www.justgiving. com/SamShawAppeal.