A COURAGEOUS Dorchester teenager who has bravely battled leukaemia is giving something back to the Dorchester community that supported him in his darkest hour.

Rian Harvey was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in September last year and now feels indebted to a local charity for its support.

Following several months of intensive chemotherapy treatment, Rian was told in March he is now in remission and only has to go to hospital for check-ups.

Rian and his family were supported by Dorchester charity Help a Friend when he had to stay at Southampton General and Dorset County Hospitals for his treatment. He is now making his own efforts to help others under the name Rian Helping Others.

He wants to put a smile on the faces of other youngsters who will have to spend the festive period in hospital by creating Christmas hampers to donate to children at the Kingfisher Ward at Dorset County Hospital.

Rian said: “I came up with the idea last Christmas when I was in hospital because I know what it’s like to be in hospital on Christmas Day.”

Some of the funds for the hampers will come from money raised at a SkaBQ event at the Spice Centre in Dorchester in August and donations can also be made at justgiving.com/helpingrian As well as collecting items for children, Rian is also keen to include some items for parents in the hampers, as he appreciates, from his own experiences, just how tough it can be for the families of loved ones who are being treated in hospital.

Rian’s mum Sarah George also showed her support for Help a Friend earlier in the year when she completed the Tough Mudder Challenge for the charity and the teenager said he really appreciates what the people of Dorchester did for him during his treatment.

The Thomas Hardye School pupil said: “I just want to show my appreciation for what people gave me.”

Rian said he hopes the Christmas hamper initiative will grow and that in a couple of years’ time he will be able to extend it to include children at Southampton General Hospital.

Ben King from Help a Friend said it was great to see Rian showing an appreciation for the support the charity was able to offer him and was fully supportive of his efforts.

He said: “Rian has come up with the idea and the charity itself is fully behind it.”

For more information about donating items for the hampers email benking362@yahoo.co.uk To find out more about the work of the charity visit hafhaf.co.uk