Tommys Road to Recovery - please read update

Tommy's GoFundMe Page:

Helping Tommy and his Family Fight Back

Our dear friend, Tommy Howard, a 26-year-old self-employed roofer and a wonderful loving father / family man ,and avid footballer, underwent a 6 hour surgery at the London Neurological Hospital to remove a tumour that was growing inside his spinal chord Tuesday 6th March .

The amazing neurosurgeons and team managed to remove 90-95% of his tumour -

Ependymomas - we are unsure of Grade at this stage but Tom and all his family are optimistic. And want him to be fully focused on the road ahead , (which is why we would like to ask for help from those who wish too .)

(It was very close to the brain stem)

And whether he will need radiotherapy or what they will decide is the next course of treatment to eradicate this rare spinal cord tumour fully from his body as it affects his Central Nervous System.

This unexpected challenge has left Tommy facing a long and difficult recovery.

Tommy has been experiencing muscle loss , weakness and hasn’t been feeling his usual physically fit active self.

Tom has played for Teams in Hatfield & Potters Bar over the years .

The surgery, while necessary, may have significantly impacted Tommy's ability to return to his physically demanding job.

There is damage to Tom’s spinal cord from C1- T5 .

As a young family man , with a bright future ahead, this news has brought immense pressure and uncertainty.

Here's where you come in:

We are reaching out to our incredible community to raise funds to support Tommy and his family during this critical time. These funds will be used to:

Help cover medical expenses: Tommy's treatment and recovery may require ongoing medical care and potentially specialized therapies which may not be offered available via the NHS .

Access new medical science with ease.

Assist with household expenses: With Tommy unable to work, financial burdens will inevitably increase.

Donations will help ease that stress and allow the family to focus on Tommy's recovery, and Tom being the proud provider he is , the last thing we want is him worrying about outgoings , bills etc his focus needs to be on gaining strength and to rehabilitate his physical body , to walk and fully function and have Tom back to optimum health so he can chase young Tommy around and be back playing football with the boys .

And back playing for Elizabeth Allan’s !

Tommy has come out of the High Dependency Unit with his strong bubbly character still in place , he is positive and will fight with everything he has with that strong spirit of his with Jo the boys and all of his family and amazing friends behind him every step of the way .

Tom has been told he may need to be in inpatient rehabilitation for up to 6 months .

Adapt their home: Depending on the outcome of his recovery, Or in the interim Tommy's home may need modifications to ensure accessibility and comfort.

Every contribution, big or small, will make a world of difference.

Sharing this campaign is also a huge help! The more people who know about Tommy's story, the greater the support we can build for him and his family.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and generosity.

We understand money is tight for many right now - anything you are able to gift would be so appreciated.

With love and gratitude,

On behalf of Tom, his family and friends .