A bakery \u201chero\u201d shaved off his bushy beard in aid of a children\u2019s hospital.<\/p>\n
Phil Lancelotte, a driver at the Jones Village Bakery in Wrexham, was inspired to raise money for\u00a0 Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool by the courage of the six year old daughter of workmate Wayne Jones.<\/p>\n
Brave Bella has undergone two operations to remove a tennis ball sized tumour and the remaining cancerous cells from her neck.<\/p>\n
Colleagues and friends have already chipped in with \u00a3425 while Village Bakery managing director Robin Jones and his brother, projects director Christien, are contributing \u00a31,000.<\/p>\n
Phil has a track record of raising money for good causes. Back in 2013 he was\u00a0 honoured for his 30 years of service to a local charity, Wrexham Phab \u2013 Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied Club, when he was named as the company\u2019s first Village Hero, an award set up to recognise effort or contribution of\u00a0 employees.<\/p>\n
He also goes back a long way with Wayne who joined the company straight from school aged 16, mentoring him and showing him the ropes.<\/p>\n
Wayne is now the man in charge of crumpet production at the bakery \u2013 and he\u2019s never forgotten the help he received from Phil.<\/p>\n
But nothing prepared Wayne and Bella\u2019s mum, Shereice David, for the worry they\u2019ve endured for the past three years.<\/p>\n
Problems first started to emerge when they found a small, rubbery lump on Bella\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the cause was misdiagnosed for two years before it was finally established she was suffering two forms of cancer, Ganglia Neuro Blastoma and Neuro Blastoma which was found in the biopsy after the first surgery.<\/p>\n
Wayne said: \u201cThe first surgery was in August last\u00a0 year to remove the tumour which was obstructing her airways. It was a huge lump the size of a tennis ball inside her neck and her airway is now an L shape because it\u2019s been bent by the tumour.<\/p>\n
\u201cEarlier this year they found something on her lymph nodes so she had to back into hospital for another surgery on her neck and they took away the lymph nodes in that area because they had found a trace of the cancer there, which they thought was left there from the previous operation.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to partner Shereice they\u2019re taking things day by day and allowing Bella to just have fun and play with her friends as much as she can.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cAlder Hey have helped us save Bella. Their surgeons are second to none \u2013 they did a fantastic job and the staff on the ward do a brilliant job too. They keep the kids motivated and uplifted and Bella made a lot of friends there.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe had some tests done and the results are really good at the moment \u2013 we\u2019re just waiting for one test result. She has to go now every three months to be tested.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the next one comes back and they\u2019re still clear then I think we should be on a journey to remission. We\u2019re keeping everything crossed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wayne added: \u201cI\u2019ve always known Phil as a giving man and the fact that he is doing this for my daughter is extremely touching. He\u2019s a fantastic guy. He\u2019s had a lot of issues with his own health but he never stops caring about other people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Village Bakery have been nothing but supportive. The minute they found out what I was going through we have had nothing but support.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been really nice knowing that no matter what\u2019s going on at home, they have let me know that\u2019s my priority \u2013 and that they\u2019ve got my back. I\u2019ve had incredible support from the Village Bakery.\u201d<\/p>\n
The beard had been a semi-permanent fixture on Phil\u2019s chin for more than 30 years but it didn\u2019t take much persuasion to get him to shave the hipster whiskers to raise money for Alder Hey.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe work Alder Hospital do in general for young children is amazing but I wanted to raise money for them in respect of the care they have given to Bella.<\/p>\n
\u201cDue to her having been diagnosed with Ganglio Neuro Blastoma cancer, she has needed to be treated there on many occasions. I just want to do my bit to help raise funds for the great work they do.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have any kids so I can\u2019t really imagine what Wayne and Shereice must be going through \u2013 it\u2019s a real nightmare.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope they\u2019ve got it sorted and that Bella will grow up to be a lovely young lady.\u201d<\/p>\n
Managing director Robin Jones said everybody at the Village Bakery had been deeply touched by little Bella\u2019s bravery.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe raised money for the family last year so they could go on holiday and they wanted a trampoline for Bella as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow is the time to give back to Alder Hey Hospital and that\u2019s why Phil got involved because the Wayne and Shereice have been through hell. It\u2019s every parent\u2019s worst nightmare.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Bella is a brave little fighter and even today she\u2019s full of beans and has smile that lights up the room. She\u2019s a real giggler.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a huge worry for Wayne \u2013 the last few years have been an emotional rollercoaster for him. He\u2019s a great chap and we are proud to work with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWayne is one of the true Village People and he\u2019s been with us a long time. We\u2019ve supported him throughout and we\u2019ll continue to do that.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhil\u2019s been with us since 1985 \u2013 he was also my mentor when I first started. What he did with his beard shave was absolutely fantastic \u2013 he\u2019s still the real deal when it comes to being a\u00a0 Village Hero.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anybody wanting to contribute to the appeal can do so by going to the Go Fund Me page that\u2019s been set up by Phil: <\/strong>https:\/\/gofund.me\/ddd5e55a<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n