Time and again, the boxing world has witnessed the power of community, and this time, fans rallied to support a young, aspiring boxer who tragically became paralyzed from the waist down.
James Lewis woke up one day in 2021 to find his lower body completely unresponsive. Since then, he has gradually lost balance and control over his bladder. Still, despite these challenges, the 13-year-old has continued pursuing his dream of healing and becoming a professional boxer.
During this difficult time, a local man launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise nearly $6,000 for an electric wheelchair for James. Fortunately, in just a few months, supporters have already contributed $6,549. Meanwhile, James’ father has also expressed his appreciation for the initiative.
“The GoFundMe was actually started by a guy from the fishing community who wanted to raise funds to get my son an electric wheelchair,” James’ dad told Mirror. “All the donations are much appreciated–it’s amazing.”
However, James’ challenges started when he was just five years old and began training in boxing twice a week. From a young age, he dreamed of becoming a boxer like the UK’s heroes Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
Then, James and his family faced a harsh reality when doctors diagnosed him with scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. To manage it, he started wearing a brace. Later, in 2021, doctors discovered an 18 cm tumor that, according to an MRI, entwined with his spinal cord. The tumor steadily deteriorated his health, and he eventually lost control over his bladder and bowels.
Since the diagnosis, James has undergone multiple surgeries and chemotherapy. Surgeons have struggled to remove the tumor because it is entwined with his spinal cord. Even after numerous serious procedures, James has not regained the use of his legs or full bodily functions. Yet, his family continues to do everything possible to keep his life as normal as they can.
James Lewis’ dad opens up about the boxer’s recovery and treatment
James Lewis is from Bexley, Greater London. At first, his family thought he had a single tumor, but doctors later discovered that he had multiple tumors. The tumors are “non-cancerous,” which is a positive, but unfortunately, they have hemorrhaged, compressing his spinal cord. This compression causes numbness in James’ legs.
To address the issue, James’ family started decompression therapy, which initially restored some leg function. However, on his 10th birthday, James suffered a major setback when he woke up with paralysis from the waist down. Although he made some progress afterward, his condition remained fragile.
By 2023, after about 18 months of chemotherapy, James Lewis’ condition improved somewhat. Then, in late 2025, his condition worsened, and doctors performed four separate surgeries. After these procedures, James returned to rehabilitation once again.
“Once that’s finished, we’ll continue with the chemotherapy,” James’ father said. “He’s got another 16 months remaining. They aren’t able to remove the tumour through surgery because of the location of it. When they look at the tumour, the [spinal] cord isn’t visible – you just see the cord going into the tumour and coming out of the bottom. It’s been an absolute nightmare.”
Now, we pray and hope that James Lewis, the 13-year-old aspiring boxer, finds his way back to the path he has always dreamed of, defying all odds. You can also contribute to James Lewis’s recovery and support his journey.
