Harry Kane’s heartfelt message to a four-year-old boy with cancer who beat coronavirus

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Harry Kane addressed a sweet message to a four-year-old coronavirus survivor living with cancer. 

Archie Wilks, four, from Saffron Walden, Essex, contracted coronavirus during cancer treatment but thankfully overcame the disease and is now back at home with his mother Harriet, dad Simon and twin brother Henry. 

Simon was in hospital with Archie while he was taken from the peadiatric ward to the coronavirus ward, while Harriet was at home with Henry 

The family appeared live from their home this morning on Good Morning Britain, where Harriet and Simon discussed their scary experience, before they were surprised with a sweet message from the England football captain.

Harry Kane addressed a sweet message to a four-year-old coronavirus survivor living with cancer on Good Morning Britain this morning (pictured left: Harry Kane. Right: Harriet, Simon, Archie and Henry Wilks)

Archie Wilks, four, from Saffron Walden, Essex, contracted coronavirus during cancer treatment but thankfully overcame the disease and is now back at home with his mother Harriet, dad Simon and twin brother Henry (pictured: Archie with his parents and brother on Good Morning Britain)

Archie Wilks, four, from Saffron Walden, Essex, contracted coronavirus during cancer treatment but thankfully overcame the disease and is now back at home with his mother Harriet, dad Simon and twin brother Henry (pictured: Archie with his parents and brother on Good Morning Britain)

‘Hi Archie, great to hear your feeling better and are on the mend,’ he said. 

‘You’re a strong boy, just keep listening to the nurses, doctors and your parents,’ he added.

‘I hear you and your twin brother Henry love to play football, so keep playing in the garden, stay at home and I wish you all the best,’ he concluded. 

‘How amazing,’ said a delighted Simon, who was holding Archie in his arms. 

Archie's parents thanked the NHS for looking after their son on the coronavirus ward (pictured: Archie giving the camera a cheeky smile after seeing Harry Kane's message)

Archie’s parents thanked the NHS for looking after their son on the coronavirus ward (pictured: Archie giving the camera a cheeky smile after seeing Harry Kane’s message)

During the segment, Harriet explained the family took every precaution to keep Archie safe, but he still contracted the virus. 

The four-year-old suffers from a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma, a type of nerve cancer.

‘We started quarantining and self-isolating about a week before lockdown,’ she said. 

Archie, who lives with a rare form of cancer, contracted the coronavirus during treatment and was immediately treated (pictured in hospital)

Archie, who lives with a rare form of cancer, contracted the coronavirus during treatment and was immediately treated (pictured in hospital)

Harriet and Simon (pictured right) said on Good Morning Britain said the situation had been very worrying for Archie, who had needed oxygen during coronavirus treatment

Harriet and Simon (pictured right) said on Good Morning Britain said the situation had been very worrying for Archie, who had needed oxygen during coronavirus treatment 

‘We were kinda just in the house, no visitors, nothing. Our health visitors came to do bits and pieces of care for Archie and hospital equipment that we couldn’t do without,’ she explained. 

‘It was a bit of a shock to see he’d manage to get the virus,’ she admitted. 

Simon explained Archie was receiving treatment in hospital when he was diagnosed with COVID-19.

‘It was very worrying. As Harriet said, we did not expect him to get it,’ Simon explained. 

‘He was also undergoing immunotherapy, which gave him a slight cough.’

Archie (pictured in hospital) lives with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer which affects the nerves

Archie (pictured in hospital) lives with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer which affects the nerves

Simon said parents needed to cherish isolation time with their children and make the most of it (pictured: Simon with Archie, wearing masks)

Simon said parents needed to cherish isolation time with their children and make the most of it (pictured: Simon with Archie, wearing masks)

What is a neuroblastoma? 

Neuroblastoma is a rare type of cancer that mostly affects babies and young children.

It develops from specialised nerve cells (neuroblasts) left behind from a baby’s development in the womb.

Neuroblastoma most commonly occurs in 1 of the adrenal glands situated above the kidneys, or in the nerve tissue that runs alongside the spinal cord in the neck, chest, tummy or pelvis.

It affects around 100 children each year in the UK and is most common in children under the age of 5.

The cause is unknown. There are very rare cases where children in the same family are affected, but generally neuroblastoma does not run in families.

The outlook for neuroblastoma varies considerably, and is generally better for younger children whose cancer has not spread.

Your doctors will be able to give you more specific information about your child.

Almost half of neuroblastomas are a type that can return despite intensive treatment.

Further treatment will often be necessary in these cases.

 

This changed when doctors found Archie had temperature, and was moved to a coronavirus ward in hospital after being diagnosed. 

Simon also explained that the couple were particularly worried, because Archie has a history of being hit particularly hard by other viruses in the past, and of problems with his lungs. 

The four-year-old was the first child patient to be with coronavirus at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

He had to be put on oxygen the first two nights, a stressful time for Simon and Harriet, but the father-of-two said they were thankful for the NHS staff who treated their son.  

The family had taken every precaution to make sure their children stayed safe, from taking their out of school to quarantining a week earlier than lockdown (pictured: the family n a day out before coronavirus)

The family had taken every precaution to make sure their children stayed safe, from taking their out of school to quarantining a week earlier than lockdown (pictured: the family n a day out before coronavirus)

‘The nurses and doctors were so transparent, they were just really good and kept on top of it.’ 

Harriet, who stayed home with the couple’s other son, Henry, said she was particularly anxious, and said being away made it ‘a lot harder.’ 

However, the couple said they were trying to make the most of their family time in isolation, and encouraged other parents to ‘cherish every moment’. 

‘Learn to be in the moment everyday, power through, just enjoy your kids,’ Simon said.