Raymond O’Sullivan, 11, from Exmouth, needs thousands of pounds to pay for life-saving treatment to beat cancer. The Journal has launched a campaign to help him raise the cash.

Vanessa, 42, of Green Close, is living with a ticking time bomb.

Each day she is faced with the daunting task of potentially having to find at least �15,000 within the next eight weeks if her much-loved son Raymond is to receive the life-saving cancer treatment.

She fears she will fail her son in raising the cash for the life-giving treatment – a thought which causes her endless sleepless nights.

This week the Journal is kick-starting a campaign to help fund the schoolboy’s treatment and is appealing to people to dig deep to give him the happy future he deserves.

Raymond was re-diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in July, some nine years after beating the disease as a two-year-old. The cancer affects the eyes.

The schoolboy, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy, in eight weeks’ time needs essential radiation therapy to fight the disease – but it is not available in the UK.

Raymond and his mum face travelling to the USA or Amsterdam, where they could have to pay for treatment.

Vanessa said her courageous son is facing his battle with dignity. She said: “Knowing my son has cancer kills me. If I could swap, I would.

“If someone said to me ‘cut your left arm off and that would cure the problem’, I would do it. Anyone would for their child - I would even sell a kidney on eBay.

“I know how long we have got to raise the money. I just don’t know how we are going to do it.

“I don’t get a lot of sleep. I am running on uncharged batteries. At 4am, I can normally be found sitting in the kitchen or the garden.

“It’s bad enough being told Raymond has got rhabdomyosarcoma again. But now we have got to fundraise.

“I know the general public and businesses get hounded all the time for money - I appreciate that.

“But my son didn’t ask to be re-diagnosed.

“It’s harder for him this time. He’s not a baby this time.”

l To donate, make cheques payable to Archant and send to Raymond’s Appeal, Archant South West, Fair Oak Close, Exeter Airport Business Park, Exeter, EX5 2UL.