A talented young goalkeeper for Burnley under 14s Academy has received a message of support from a Manchester United star after he was given a 'devastating' diagnosis following a twinge in his knee.
"It is strange to say, but he lives as if he has never had the disease. The treatment has been brutal. But he knows it is having an effect on the cancer and helping get rid of it." John recalled how a twinge in Jake's knee was the start of what has been a long arduous road. "He was playing for Burnley under 14s and had suffered an ankle injury and was on crutches for six weeks.However, he eventually ended up in hospital for an X-ray. Damaged tendons were suspected - but further tests in March 2022 revealed the shattering truth that it was actually Osteosarcoma.
"He had an MRI scan after the second lot of chemotherapy and it was found that the chemotherapy was attacking the tumour and breaking it down. It also showed that there was a small cancerous tumour in his lung and a suspected tumour in his spine but the tumour in his lung had not grown since his first scan so that is good news".
Astonishingly, before the cancer was discovered in his hip Jake had started football training again with grassroots side, Droylsden. Before joining Burnley he had played for Chadderton Park, from under 7s to under 12s, then Moston Tigers, and later Avros.