A TEENAGE boy battling leukaemia has put his own health troubles on hold so he can deliver coronavirus hampers to the elderly.

Sahil Usman, 14, from Blackburn, was disgusted when he saw dozens of shelves had been emptied in the local supermarkets and wanted to do something to help.

His mum, Shanaz Sardar, said: “We were left very annoyed when we went into Asda and saw the shelves. It made me feel sick.

“There’s people who can’t get to the shops and there’s people like us, who have children with cancer.

“Sahil was adamant he wanted to help, even though he’s ill himself.

“He’s been out this week and has delivered around 300 hampers to elderly people in Blackburn.

“We went round Bay Street, Openshaw Drive, St James’ Road and the bungalows on Higher Audley Street too.”

QEGS student, Sahil, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2018, but his mum said she’s now been told to take him out of school for his own safety.

She said the family, including son Asad, 20, a medical student at UCLan, are worried, as should any of them catch COVID-19, they will have to self-isolate for three months due to Sahil’s condition.

Sahil said: “I really wanted to help the elderly, who are unable to go out and get their own shopping.

“I decided to buy some boxes, and headed to the stores for the essential items that I put inside the hampers and included items like hand wash, toilet roll, and mouthwash.

“I don’t want anything in return. All I want is for these vulnerable people to be happy and safe, during this time of COVID-19.

“I didn’t care about my health, despite being in the ‘high risk group’ of the coronavirus.

“I still went into the crowds inside the supermarkets. The only thing that was in my head was to help the vulnerable.

“I was really happy that I had made over 300 hampers for those who really needed them.”

Mrs Sardar continued: “There’s not much we can do, but if we do get it, it could mean his cancer treatment is stopped for a while.

“He said if we have to self-isolate he’s going to get depressed as he’ll have nothing to do and he might get ill again.

“Despite this, he still wanted to go out and help. He said ‘mum, you don’t understand this until you’ve gone through it’

.”

Sahil is planning to create a YouTube video telling people to stop panic buying and hopes that people will listen.