Hartlepool youngster given '˜best Christmas gift ever' after Â£5,000 boost from Bradley Lowery Foundation

Youngster Alex Grant, 9 receives funds from Bradley Lowery Foundation with mother Katy Grant

Alex Grant, nine, was born with microtia, which is the under-development of his external ear and also has aural atresia, which is a lack of an external ear canal.

Eight years ago, mum Katy Grant, from Hartlepool, launched fundraising campaign Ear For Alex, to raise £35,000 to send Alex to America to undergo treatment.

Alex Grant with Gemma Lowery and Lynn Murphy from the Bradley Lowery Foundation.

And now the Greatham Primary School pupil has been given an incredible £5,000 from the Bradley Lowery Foundation this Christmas.

The generous donation means the family is now just £3,000 away from their target and mum Katy is hopeful that they will be able to meet the total sum next year.Katy said: “Alex was given £5,000 from the Bradley Lowery Foundation as part of their 12 Days of Christmas campaign.

“We found out when I got a phone call from them.

“They put me on speaker and then when they told me I couldn’t believe it.

Youngster Alex Grant, 9 receives funds from Bradley Lowery Foundation

“It brings us so close to our target.

“We have been raising funds for eight years now so it is just unbelievable.

“It is the best gift ever.”

Alex, who will be starting secondary school next year is said to be ‘over the moon’ with the donation from the charity.

And this is the second time the foundation has given the Ear For Alex campaign a huge boost.

Back in March they donated £9,000, pushing the amount raised from £14,000 to more than £23,000 overnight.

Katy, who is also mum to Dylan, 21 months, and step-son Riley, five, says once they hit the target it is up to Alex when he receives the treatment in the US, but that she had always hoped he would be in a position to have it by the age of 10, meaning the boost from the foundation is even more poignant.

Katy added: “It is such a lot of money to raise, so there were times when I didn’t think we would get there.

“But since the Bradley Lowery Foundation have got involved they have been amazing.

“When they got involved we had raised £14,000 and in just over a year they have got us to £32,000.

“I can’t describe the relief it has been to have their help, not just financially but the support they give as well.

“They have changed his life. “He has had some wonderful experiences thought the foundation and we are never going to forget what they have done for him.”

To donate to the charity visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/thebradleyloweryfoundation/earforalex