Any help greatly appreciated!

[Hardballs]

Now I've never done anything like this before, but my sons friend who is 7 has leukemia, and so a me and some friends are trying to raise some funds to send him over to the USA for some life saving treatment, otherwise this will sadly be his last Christmas. He's called Ben Brown and although his parents have had to sell their house and the school has been helping raise funds too, we're still short! Me and my friends are now growing moustaches, (considered ridiculous in the uk for people under 50) in a sponsored effort to raise some extra funds! We're basically walking round looking like idiots for a month in the hope that people will donate to our cause. And we're just asking everyone we know, or work with, to donate some spare cash to try and save this lovely little boys life! If anyone here would care to make a charitable gesture this Christmas please let me know! I can assure every penny raised will go directly to saving this young boys life! Thanks for reading!

[Wisguy]

Blame the cynic in me but I don't respond monetarily to solicitations of this sort. However, one of my best friends from grad school died from leukemia about a decade ago and you and your friends certainly have my sympathies. It's an awful disease. Have you a tried to attact some local media attention to your cause? In the States this month, the guys on the Today show on NBC have all forsworn shaving in November to bring attention to some cause or another (it didn't quite succeed with me) and I would imagine that the mustache thing is just the sort of quirky positive story that might warrant some focus away from negative journalism.

[Hardballs]

To be honest, I never even expected a response, just thought I'd try as occasionally unexpected acts of generosity can arise from the most unexpected places! A large portion of the funds required have already been generated thanks to local football clubs, businesses, the kids school and their parents selling their home, but there's a substantial amount still required! I believe we'll get there eventually, but time is always a factor!