HE has spent most of the last year in and out of hospital away from his schoolfriends.

And yesterday, nine-year-old Finlay White, who started the Oxford Mail’s OX5 Run in March, showed his Ducklington Primary School classmates around the Kamran’s ward at Oxford Children’s Hospital where he has been receiving treatment for cancer.

They also presented a £4,800 cheque for the ward, based at Headington’s John Radcliffe Hospital, to fund play and medical equipment.

Finlay, wearing a cap donated by Formula 1 driver Jenson Button, said: “It was really good to show them around because they’ve given me a lot of support and have been really kind to me.”

The Formula 1 fan, who got the signed cap after being forced to pull out of the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon in Luton on Saturday, July 12, due to ground problems is hoping to meet the star when he is a special guest at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend.

He was diagnosed with the bone cancer osteosarcoma last August and the following month had a 10-hour operation to remove some of the bone in his left leg.

Since then he has been going through rounds of chemotherapy and until April was living in the ward through the week, only going home at weekends.

He now visits once a week for chemotherapy, which will continue until October.

Finlay’s friends Henry Skelson, Jack Peachey, Ben Miles and Henry Partlett, all nine, as well as teaching assistant Sara Church, were taken to the ward for the visit.

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In the hospital play room

Mum Suzanne White, 40, said: “Everyone at his school has been so supportive and we just wanted to bring some of them here so they could see where he has spent so much of his time since last August.

“He’s doing really well and is very positive, although he has his down days when he gets frustrated because he’s been through a lot.

“For the past six weeks he’s been back at school, which he’s enjoying, and will be going up to year five with all his friends next year.”

The school raised the money from a Music Mayhem event at Ducklington Sports Club in May, and through a sponsored run.

Oxford Children’s Hospital fundraiser Penny Hambridge said: “It allows us to buy equipment that’s above and beyond the capability of the NHS to fund.”

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