WHEN a young South African man was faced with a cancer diagnosis, little did he know that a fundraising effort spanning over 6,000 miles would take place to try and help him afford the treatment he needed.

Blake Squires, 23, grew up and went to school in Farncombe, and friends he made in that time are helping to support his family back in Port Alfred now.

But when treatment costs began to rise, Blake’s family took to social media to rally support, and the call was met by some close family friends from Surrey and Hampshire who are spearheading a fund-raising effort across two continents.

A coffee morning in Haslemere raised more than £800 and saw dozens of friends, family and people in the community come together to support an important cause, with a cake sale, a raffle and other donations accepted.

Blake’s aunt Karen Cottingham Squires set up a GoFundMe page to make collecting donations from across the globe easier, and so far has raised more than £2,500, although the family is still some way from the £25,000 goal.

Blake’s family also plan to set up a support group in Port Alfred for other families affected by cancer and raise awareness about the risk of testicular cancer – and teach young men the signs to look out for by checking themselves.

Help Blake with donations at www.gofundme. com/blake squiresfund – and follow Blake Squires Cancer Fund Group on Facebook.