By Philip Buckingham

A TEENAGE Paralympic hopeful has had his hair and beard dyed blue to raise much-needed funds for research into a rare form of bone cancer.

Kieran Maxwell, 16, from Heighington, near Darlington, was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in 2010, which ultimately led to the amputation of part of his left leg.

Now in remission, he decided to make the symbolic gesture of dying his hair to help raise both awareness and research funding for the rare illness.

The colour was chosen as the cells of Ewing’s Sarcoma come up blue when under a microscope – it is also the colour of the charity, the Ewing’s Sarcoma Research Trust [ESRT], that he is raising the money for.

Sitting in the chair at the halfway stage of the transformation, with his hair bleached blonde in preparation for the blue dye, Kieran seemed quite apprehensive about his decision:

He said: "I’ve always said I’d never dye my hair.

“I tried to get a few other people involved, but they all said no.

“Maybe that was the right decision."

Kieran’s mother Nicola is a trustee for the charity, which was set up in 2011 by a fellow sufferer of the disease, who, like Kieran, was also an amputee.

Mrs Maxwell said: “There was nothing like [the charity] when Kieran was diagnosed.

“We’d never heard of Ewing’s at the time. It’s really important to raise awareness about it.”

Just as important is raising money, which the ESRT will use to fund research with the Bone Cancer Research Trust.

Mrs Maxwell added: “The treatment at the moment is barbaric – it’s really the only word for it, and it hasn’t changed for 40 years.”

Two new trials for the treatment of Ewing’s are starting this year – including one at Newcastle University – offering the prospect of totally new treatments.

There have never been any trials for treating a second relapse of Ewing’s before and the money raised will go to keeping those trials going.

Kieran’s original target was £250, and he pledged to also dye his beard if it was reached.

The total raised after two weeks currently stands at £520.

The online fundraising page can be found at virginmoneygiving.com/KieranGoesBlue