Pride of Australia medal nomination for Charlotte and Luke Forwood’s brave response to their brother’s cancer battle

After their three-year-old brother Nicholas was diagnosed with cancer, Charlotte and Luke Forwood began a remarkable fundraising drive that has raised more than $120,000 and earned them a Pride of Australia Medal nomination.

After their three-year-old brother Nicholas was diagnosed with cancer, Charlotte and Luke Forwood began a remarkable fundraising drive that has exceeded their expectations a thousandfold.

Aiming to come up with $1000 for The Kids Cancer Project, the South Turramurra siblings’ total ticked past $122,000 this week.

“We have been really surprised, it’s just unbelievable,” said Charlotte, 11.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Click here to visit Luke and Charlotte’s fundraising site

“I was the one who had to tell the kids, and that was heartbreaking,” said Charlotte’s mother, Ursula.

Nicholas has neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, and doctors put his chances of survival at 20 per cent.

“We sat on the couch and cried together. It took a few days for it to sink in and then pretty much from the get-go they said: ‘We want to do something,’ Mrs Forwood said.

“I don’t think proud really covers it very well but I don’t know any other word in the English language.”

Her husband, Tom, said Luke and Charlotte “showed him the way” with their “kind and amazing” actions.

“When Nicholas was first diagnosed I probably took it out on people - then I looked at the kids and the way they turned it in to something kind and amazing. They’ve shown me the way,” Mr Forwood said.

Luke and Charlotte’s brave response has earned the pair a nomination for a Pride of Australia medal, in the Young Leaders category.

Luke, Nicholas and Charlotte Forwood at home. Picture: ADAM WARD

“When Nicholas is in hospital, he normally wants mum or dad - we are just kids sitting on the sidelines watching and we really just wanted to do something,” said Luke, 12.

They set up a website and aimed for what they thought was a pretty ambitious goal: $1000 if they shaved their heads.

“Pretty quickly it went to friends and then friends of friends and their friends, and it got pretty widespread,” Luke said.

Charlotte and Luke have now raised $122,108 for research they hope can help other children like Nicholas. Donations are coming in from as far afield as the Australian Embassy Social Club in Baghdad.

“It is to help them make up this drug that might be a breakthrough,” Luke said.

Meanwhile, Nicholas has endured seven rounds of chemotherapy, surgery, radiation treatment and bone marrow transplants.

He is currently part of a clinical trial of a treatment called immunotherapy.

“He is an inspiration,” Charlotte said.