Vodafone employees bring in £800 for US op for Jake

As reported in the Newbury Weekly News last month, Newbury father Dudley Spencer is organising a host of fundraising events to try and raise £100,000 so his son Jake, who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy, can have the operation at a specialist clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.
Both events were organised by an employee at Vodafone’s offices at Newbury Business Park, who is a friend of the family.
The cake sale raised £685, while the walk raised £150.
Jake, who turns 10 this year, was first diagnosed with the condition when he was two years old.
However it was two years ago – just before his seventh birthday – that his condition started to rapidly deteriorate, with the youngster experiencing up to 200 seizures a day.
He has since had four seven- hour operations to remove the affected area and on three occasions has been put into an induced coma to enable his brain to rest.
Jake went through rigorous daily physiotherapy for three months and learned to walk again four times.
Mr Spencer, aged 45, who lives in The Gabriels, said: “It is an incredible amount of money to raise just by selling a few cakes and going for a walk.
“I am very grateful and every penny helps towards Jake getting his operation.”
There will also be a fundraising family fun day at Newbury Football Club on May 24, an event that Jake is expected to attend.