‘He won’t give up’: Family of ‘warrior’ grandpa send plea to Geordies as costs rack up

The relatives of 'warrior' grandpa Jimmy are currently having to wash clothes in a Heaton hotel sink as the much-loved family man battles complications following the removal of a rugby ball-sized tumour from his body last December.

James Joseph Allington from Carlisle went into the Royal Freeman's Hospital in Newcastle for his operation on December 15 last year, having been diagnosed with cancer in 2021, but the scale of the tumour doctors removed led to multi-organ failure and sepsis, keeping him in the hospital bed since.

Uprooting their lives from Carlisle to stay at the Corner House Hotel and be near Jimmy, the 55-year-old's family is paying substantial accommodation costs whilst struggling to find ways for basic daily activities such as washing clothes.

Jimmy's niece Emma, 41, and her partner Jay have launched a GoFundMe to appeal for any donations that might help the family as Jimmy's treatment goes on.

Speaking to NewcastleWorld, Emma admitted that last week it looked like she might lose her uncle, but that he had made a bounce back in recent days.

Emma said: "We don't know how long he's going to be in hospital and the cost of accommodation could climb quite quickly.

"He has been sedated some of the time but when he's not sedated he's willing to fight. He's a warrior, that's how I would describe him. He won't give up.

"Yesterday he said, 'It's difficult but I'm here and I'm fighting'. When he's sedated he is responsive to nurses asking him to do things but doesn't remember us coming."

When visited by his wife, sister, niece, children and grandchildren on Tuesday, Jimmy was responsive and interacted with his loved ones. Emma said: "Yesterday, to see him sat up in the chair talking, the difference in a week is amazing."

Jimmy, a big Liverpool and Carlisle United fan, is known for being a pillar in his family who has provided support to all in the most testing times.

Emma said: "He's a family man, he'd do anything for anybody. I live in Workington, an hour away from Jimmy, and when we had Covid it was Jimmy on the phone saying if you need anything we'll fetch it down for you. He had cancer and was working in the Test and Trace centres. He didn't stop working until he had to go in and have his surgery."

Some of Jimmy's family are currently living in the Heaton hotel, paying a reduced price of £400 a week thanks to the hotel manager, whilst others are frequently commuting to Newcastle from Carlisle.

With costs rapidly adding up and the family unsure of how long Jimmy may be in the hospital, the GoFundMe may provide a lifeline.

You can donate to the fundraiser, which has already raised £1,200, here.