TWO courageous tots. Two incredibly moving stories.

Today, the families of brave youngsters Jamie Inglis and Alfie Oliver told of their fresh battles, as the spirited youngsters embarked on yet more crucial treatment.

Four-year-old Jamie, of Elvington, is finally set to embark on his potentially lifesaving cancer treatment, after friends and family raised an amazing £250,000 in just a few months. But for the family of 20-month-old Alfie Oliver, the agonising wait goes on, as he continues to battle a rare heart condition.

It’s all for Alfie

THE parents of a York youngster have told how he is again fighting serious illness after spending Christmas in hospital, struggling through a number of severe infections.

Now the parents of little Alfie Oliver are to be trained in the complex delivery of a “last chance” drug which is pumped directly into their son’s chest.

Its chances of success are estimated at only ten per cent.

Alfie, one of the winners of The Press’s Child of the Year 2009, has spent his young life battling the odds after being born with a serious heart condition requiring hours of surgery.

Shortly after Alfie was born, his parents, Rob and Tracie Oliver, of Crombie Avenue in Clifton, were given the news that their son was also suffering from the rare lung disorder pulmonary hypertension.

He defied doctors to bounce back despite being given only two months to live and later hit the headlines when he was subscribed the impotence drug Viagra to help his condition.

Now mum Tracie, 29, has told how 20-month-old Alfie is again recovering from a devastating series of infections which made him seriously ill throughout Christmas.

She said: “They warned us that he would possibly need ventilating and transferring to intensive care at Leeds but luckily, after prolonged intervention by the doctors, he started to breathe with the aid of a lot of oxygen.

“He remained on oxygen for about three months and required oxygen at home for a month or so after discharge.”

Mrs Oliver said the viruses would have shown themselves as little more than a cold in a healthy child, but had a serious effect on Alfie.

Doctors also informed his parents at the time that Alfie’s pulmonary hypertension had now become severe and the right side of his heart was nearly seven times as large as the left.

Tracie and Rob now face two weeks of training to learn how to deliver a drug which Alfie will have to have delivered though a central line in his chest.

Tracie said: “This is the last drug they can try so we hope and pray that it helps take pressure off his heart if he does need it.”

Alfie’s bravery has now inspired his father to compete in this year’s London Marathon to raise money for research in to his son’s condition.

Rob said: “This is the first marathon I have done. I thought I would have more time to train but I lost eight weeks with Alfie being ill so it’s not going to be pretty but I’m confident I can do it.”

To sponsor Rob visit www.justgiving.com and type in “Rob Oliver”.

Jamie ready for treatment

IT was a moment the Inglis family had prayed for – they are now in America having raised an astonishing £300,000 to pay for potentially lifesaving cancer treatment for four-year-old Jamie.

The youngster is now preparing for treatment, and is in good spirits.

Jamie’s aunt, Sarah Cottingham, who lives in York, said: “He has been assessed, he’s had bloods taken and he is really well in himself. He is eating like a trooper and putting on weight.”

The Press first reported the story of little Jamie and his battle against the childhood cancer neuroblastoma on December 23.

His parents, John and Vicky, were desperately trying to raise £250,000 to send their son to America for antibody treatment designed to kill off any remaining cancer cells following high-dose chemotherapy.

But there was only a short window when the treatment could be given following the chemotherapy, meaning it was race against time.

At the time the family, who have a house in Elvington, had already raised £50,000 but parents John and Vicky needed a further £200,000 – a seemingly insurmountable amount.

Incredibly, The Press was able to report last month that the target had been reached.

But then came a new hurdle; the family needed a further £50,000 to pay for radiotherapy in the States before the antibody treatment could begin.

But with fundraising in York and Germany in full swing, the money continued to pour in and the Inglis family finally got the call they longed for; £300,000 was in the account, the clinic in Philadelphia had been put on standby and they could buy their tickets and get over there.

Jamie will start the radiotherapy treatment in the next day or so before having the antibody therapy.

Numerous individuals and groups in York have been raising money for Jamie.

Staff at Wilkinsons at Clifton Moor raised around £2,000 for the appeal, while restaurateur Paolo Silesu, who runs Paradiso del Cibo in Walmgate, held a gourmet night and has been donating £1 from every customer’s bill to the cause. Gulf War veteran Marianne Proietti held a charity night, and there have been sponsored car washes, bag-packing events plus numerous individual contributions from people in York.