The little Glengormley boy battling a rare form of childhood cancer took another leap forward in his treatment this week as Olympic hero Paddy Barnes lent his support to the campaign.Little Oscar Knox was released from hospital on Tuesday (August 7) after weeks of recovery and treatment following intense chemotherapy.

The three year old Hightown boy is battling a highly aggressive form of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma and his family need a quarter of a million to send him abroad for treatment.

After more than a month in hospital Oscar was allowed home to be with his dad Stephen, mum Leona and little sister Isabella.

Over the weekend his campaign received another massive boost when Stephen tweeted a picture of little Oscar holding his flag of support for North Belfast Olympic hero Paddy Barnes.

The Cliftonville boxer later replied saying “I’ll win it for ya kid” and after winning his fight was interviewed wearing his Team Oscar wristband which he also wire in the ring. Leter he Tweete “Getting closer to the gold for ya kid”.

Former Celtic star John Hartson was also selling the armbands whilst at a book signing.

“We have been overwhelmed by the demand since some of the Celtic players tweeted pictures of them wearing them including Joe Ledley, Anthony Stokes, Fraser Forster and Gary Hooper and we are almost sold out but we have another shipment on its way so they will be readily available again soon.”

Stephen said they are delighted with the support they have received and said it has given their brave wee boy a real boost in the week he was allowed to return home.

After not being able to eat for more than a month while he was in hospital the little fighter came home and asked for his favourite pizza to be delivered.

“Hopefully that will be the end of his chemotherapy for good. We are now looking at our options for the next step.  He probably needs a little bit of radiotherapy on a small area of his liver and once that’s done we will be looking to go abroad for the immunotherapy which we are fundraising for.”

Read Oscar’s family’s blog www.oscarknox.blogspot.co.uk Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/teams/weeoscar or in person at the Belfast Media Group’s offices at Hannahstown Hill or on the Antrim Road. The family can be contacted for fundraising ideas and details at Teamoscar@hotmail.co.uk.