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King's Lynn army veteran Niki Whaites selling war medals to raise funds for Jasmine Freeman (7) who is battling brain tumour




A Lynn man is auctioning off his war medals in a heroic bid to raise funds for a seven-year-old battling cancer.

Taxi driver Niki Whaites has issued a “call to arms” as he looks to spread awareness for Jasmine Freeman, a young girl who has been given between 12 and 18 months to live.

She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in February, and Mr Whaites - who served with Jasmine’s dad Anthony in Iraq and Afghanistan - hopes to raise around £500 when his eBay auction launches on Thursday this week.

A fundraising campaign has been launched after nine-year-old Jasmine Freeman was diagnosed with cancer (62950194)
A fundraising campaign has been launched after nine-year-old Jasmine Freeman was diagnosed with cancer (62950194)

Mr Whaites and Mr Freeman have been friends for more than 20 years and served in the 1st Battalion of The Royal Anglian Regiment together. After hearing the devastating news about Jasmine, the Lynn man leapt into action.

Her official diagnosis of a midline glioma means there is no option of operating, and both her father and mother, Jakki, hope to take her abroad and take part in a clinical trial.

So far, a GoFundMe page has raised more than £125,000 for the seven-year-old, from Bracknell in Berkshire, who has been coined the ‘Warrior Princess’ by her parents. A target of £250,000 has been set.

Lynn man Niki Whaites (left) is auctioning off his war medals to raise funds for seven-year-old Jasmine Freeman, pictured with her mum Jakki. Niki served in Afghanistan and Iraq with Jasmine’s dad Anthony, pictured with him above
Lynn man Niki Whaites (left) is auctioning off his war medals to raise funds for seven-year-old Jasmine Freeman, pictured with her mum Jakki. Niki served in Afghanistan and Iraq with Jasmine’s dad Anthony, pictured with him above

And Mr Whaites hopes to add a little more by selling the medals he brought back from Iraq and Afghanistan - as well as his Queen’s Jubilee medals.

“There’s just shy of two million veterans in this country. With me auctioning off my medals, I’m hoping that’s a little bit of a call to arms for other veterans to see what I’m doing and donate,” he said.

“Not only that, but civilians. I know times are hard at the moment, and I know the cost of living is ridiculous, but if something selfless like this is emphasised, I hope that inspires others to dig a little deeper and essentially give a little bit to Jasmine’s GoFundMe page.”

The eBay auction to sell of his medals with go live this Thursday, and will run until the following Sunday (March 26). Each will be up for sale at a starting price of £250, although he hopes to raise more.

A fundraising campaign has been launched after nine-year-old Jasmine Freeman was diagnosed with cancer (62950189)
A fundraising campaign has been launched after nine-year-old Jasmine Freeman was diagnosed with cancer (62950189)

Mr Whaites lost his leg in a motorcycle collision more than a decade ago. He added: “I’m an amputee now, so gone are the days of climbing mountains and running marathons and everything else.”

Jasmine’s parents have described her as “kind and caring, gentle and generous, quick-witted and so very special that she touches even the hardest of hearts”.

She had been complaining of double vision and sore eyes earlier this year, and an MRI scan at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough revealed that she had a rare brain tumour.

A fundraising campaign has been launched after nine-year-old Jasmine Freeman was diagnosed with cancer (62950186)
A fundraising campaign has been launched after nine-year-old Jasmine Freeman was diagnosed with cancer (62950186)

The youngster started radiotherapy treatment in February, and is taking part in five gruelling sessions every week.

Dad Anthony has expressed his immense gratitude to Mr Whaites as he struggles to come to terms with the “earth-shattering news”.

“I was shocked,” he said.

A fundraising campaign has been launched after nine-year-old Jasmine Freeman was diagnosed with cancer (62950183)
A fundraising campaign has been launched after nine-year-old Jasmine Freeman was diagnosed with cancer (62950183)

“Medals for soldiers are something you never want to get rid of. They’re yours.

“I was dead against it to start - I was like ‘no, come on, you can’t’.

“But he was adamant this was what he wanted to do. This was how he wanted to help out.

“I can never thank him enough for doing it. They are an incredibly significant and sentimental item that he owns, and it’s something we all hold dearly.”

Anybody who wishes to donate to Jasmine’s cause can visit the link at the top of this story.



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