Sam'll fix it!

The gala dinner, at Bagster House, Walton Lane, on November 22, will raise funds to allow Max, of Dorly Close, Shepperton, a dream trip to Eurodisney in Paris and will be the second such event organised by Sam, following on from last year's ball which raised enough funds for Sunbury girl Sophie Ryan Palmer, now eight, a £4,000 trip to Lapland.

Maxwell's mum Angela 42, employs Sam to look after her boy and has been bowled over by her drive to organise the ball, which will happened just over a month from when Max was diagnosed.

Angela, a project manager for a railway company, said: "I was very surprised when she suggested it but I was delighted and thrilled for Max because I know she's done this before and she'll do a great job. Depending on whether he goes before or after his chemotherapy, we might go to Disney or somewhere nice and warm. He's going to deserve it."

Max was diagnosed after a puzzling year or so for Angela and husband Nick, 38, during which they travelled the length of the country to find the reason behind his symptoms, which included being unable to grip with his right hand from the age of 14 months, move his neck and a lot of crying at night.

A lump in his neck area, at the top of his spinal chord, was eventually discovered and his parents face an anxious two week wait for the results of a biopsy. Whatever the results, he will have to have at least a year of chemotherapy and there is no chance of an operation because it would probably leave him paralysed.

Amanda said: "It was a huge shock to find out it was this serious because it's been a mystery. It's very rare - only 400 children get it a year and the surgeon has said he's only ever seen two cases. Whatever happens, he'll have to have MRI scans for the rest of his life. He's a lovely-natured little boy."

As for Samantha, 34, she is modest about her efforts, saying: "Looking after children has been my life for 18 years and I just want to make his life more comfortable. Max is like one of the family, just like the other eight I look after."

To buy tickets for the ball, which will include a disco, a gig by local band Loaded Dice, dinner, raffle and auction, call Samantha on 07899 755852.