A Goal for Sam

Raising funds for research into acute myeloid leukaemia

A Goal for Sam is a Special Named Fund at CCLG raising money for research into acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in memory of six-year-old Sam.

Sam was 6 years old, when on the 8th June 2023, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. Sam's parents share his story...

Sam was a very happy, bright, energetic 6 year old boy with aspirations to become a hybrid professional footballer and rugby player. He was grounded by his interest in learning about people from all walks of life and he understood that everybody was equal. He loved making people laugh, especially his little brother and friends, and we were very proud of the boy he had become.  

Throughout the Spring and early Summer of 2023, Sam would play football at after-school club four days a week then insist on playing football with us in the garden, after supper.

On 1 June 2023 after one such garden football session, Sam’s Dad took the below photograph of him which really captured the essence of his spirit, energy and beauty. He seemed perfectly healthy and we had absolutely no idea of the horror that was just around the corner.

Exactly a week later on 8 June 2023 Sam was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia which had led to a bleed to his brain. He was rushed into neurosurgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital and chemotherapy was administered immediately afterwards, but he died in the early hours of 10 June 2023. The bleed could not be controlled as the leukaemia meant that his blood would not clot.

The speed of Sam’s decline from apparent good health to terminal diagnosis was staggering and shocking. He had his whole life ahead of him with many goals and tries left to score.  

Sam was a much loved and cherished son, brother, grandson, great grandson, nephew and friend who deserved to live his life. As part of his legacy we want to help fund research into this cruel and aggressive disease in the hope that it can save lives like Sam’s in the future.

Fundraising pages

CCLG will receive 100% of your donation. You may also be charged for one text message at your network’s standard or charity rate.

You can make a donation or pay in funds raised by cheque, payable to CCLG, to CCLG, Century House, 24 De Montfort Street, Leicester LE1 7GB. Please ensure you make it clear that the donation is for A Goal for Sam so that your donation is allocated to the correct fund. 

90% of funds raised will support research into acute myeloid leukaemia and 10% will support CCLG's work for all children's cancers.