CONCERN for a friend with a seriously ill child compelled a group of close pals to start a huge fundraising campaign to provide support in her hour of need.

When Nia Williams’s 12-month-old son Noah was diagnosed with neurofibroma – a malignant tumour in the nervous system – she and her husband Paul gave up their jobs as a dental nurse and a welder.

They wanted to be with Noah at all times as he underwent radiation treatment at Alder Hey in Liverpool, lodging at the hospital’s Ronald McDonald House.

Times have been tough for the family, who live in Saltney, but while little Noah, now 16 months old, was enduring eight months of intensive chemotherapy, three of Nia’s closest friends were busy planning how they could raise enough money to keep the family’s finances afloat while they were out of work.

All were rewarded with the best possible news this week when the family learned that Noah’s treatment has worked, meaning the little boy is now in the clear.

Nia, Veronika Michnova, Helen Foden and Alison Hughes all met in hospital when they gave birth to their babies within days of each other and formed a lifelong friendship.

Since then they have celebrated joint birthday parties for their children, gone on holiday together with their families and meet up regularly with their toddlers at the Minis and Dinkies baby group at All Saints Church in Hoole.

To raise money for the Williams family, as well as to give a generous donation to the Ronald McDonald House, the women organised two Toddle Waddles at the church this week (a sponsored walk for the under fives).

And Veronika, an RE teacher at Whitby High School, enlisted the help of her pupils to sell thousands of ‘Candy Grams’ sweet bags, arrange sponsored car washes, bake sales and sponsored runs and various other fundraising methods – with the school alone raising more than £1,000.

Veronika, of Vicars Cross, said: “Nia’s situation was just so awful but we were there for each other. We just wanted to raise as much as we could to help them out.

“I only thought we could aim to raise about £300 but we are heading for well over £1,000 now and we’ve only done one Toddle Waddle so far.”

“Nia’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and they have all been so amazingly brave that they deserve this so much.”

If you would like to donate money to the Williams family, call Veronika on 01244 428835 or 07894563008