Liam's efforts praised by Gordon Brown

CHAMPION fund-raiser, Liam Fairhurst, was praised by premier, Gordon Brown, at the Labour Party conference as the Prime Minister announced a £15 billion investment to beat cancer and inherited diseases,

Mr Brown told the Bournemouth conference how he met Liam in July and how he won the Princess of Wales Medal for raising money for cancer and leukaemia research.

"He was raising money for a childhood friend who died from cancer even as he himself was battling the disease," he said. "And I believe this too is a mission for our generation."

Mr Brown then announced that the cash would be invested in medical research.

Liam, 12, a pupil at Soham Village has raised more than £120,000 for the CLIC Sargent children's cancer charity since he was diagnosed with cancer.

His mother, Sarah, said her son was delighted to get a personal mention in Mr Brown's speech but like all of the family he was more pleased to hear about possible future funding into cancer research as he has lost several friends to this disease.

Liam's association with Mr Brown began at the launch of the Diana awards in February. He was invited to Downing Street with his parents and younger brother, Callum, in July, and since then the Prime Minister has kept in touch.

Mrs Fairhurst said: "I am quite cynical when it comes to politicians, but I found Mr Brown to be sincere and down to earth. He himself is a father and has had to cope with the death of one child and the illness of his youngest.

"I honestly feel that he spoke to us like one parent to another. We are just one of many families coping with cancer and if we can do anything that raises awareness of CLIC SARGENT and the work they do to help such families we are more than happy to. "But we urge readers when they think of Liam to think of another 10 families who every day receive news that their child has cancer."