FRIENDS of a courageous Black Country man are rallying round to help raise money for his alternative cancer treatment in Mexico.

Latham Grant was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, which affects the throat, nasal passages and lymph nodes, in June this year.

The head and neck cancer is extremely rare - only one in 100,000 cancer patients have the disease - and success rates for chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment are as low as two per cent for people who already has a strong immune system.

But Latham, a former Stafford Rangers FC player from Sedgley, refused to give up and intense research led him to a hospital in Mexico, which uses alternative treatments including oxygen therapy and sees patients to switch to an alkaline diet.

He launched an online fundraising bid to help raise money for the treatment and has been blown away by the response, which has seen £14,638 donated by 470 well-wishers.

Since September, the 22-year-old has flown out for two lots of treatment and has another trip planned for early next year.

To help pull in more pounds, a fundraising event will be held at The Bell in Stourbridge, which been organised by Harvey Pearson, who used to play football with Latham.

The event, which has been sponsored by Tan Bella Boutique, Andy Freight, Stewardson Developments, Brierley Printers, Top Dog T Shirts and Harvey’s employer, Lex Allan, will see local DJs hit the decks from 9pm to 2am on Saturday (December 3).

Karl Parke, who owns the Bell and has been a friend of Latham’s mum for many years, has not only offered the use of the venue but is also auctioning off signed and framed photographs of boxing legends Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno.

Latham said it was "really flattering" that people were helping him raise cash for his treatment and added: "I am confident that this is not a death sentence, it's going to be ok.

“I can already see the lymph nodes in my neck going down. I'm just going to keep going until it has gone.

"The success rate with chemo and radiation was very low but the stats for the treatment I'm getting are more like 99 per cent but this is not just about me getting healed, it is about me giving hope to others.

“If I can be the living proof that it works, which I know it will, I can help others and that's the long term plan.

"I see it more as a blessing than a burden."

For more information about the fundraising event or to make a bid on the boxing memorabilia, visit www.facebook.com/thebellatstourbridge.

To make a direct donation to Latham’s treatment fund, visit www.youcaring.com/latham-grant-622264