On a fateful day in October 2008, as he was heading home from school, Kemar Clayton was hit by a vehicle that never stopped.

Months after the accident, Clayton is still in hospital. The fifth-form student of the Holy Trinity High School has had a hard time recovering from the accident because he suffers from leukemia and severe hemorrhaging due to the inability of his blood to clot. Doctors have told his family that it will cost about $6 million to treat his condition.

Realising that his family is unable to fund this treatment, the Holy Trinity High School Key Club, as well as the wider school body, has jumped on-board to help him. The club's faculty manager, Howard Peart, wrote to THE STAR seeking assistance on Clayton's behalf. His letter detailed efforts made by the club to raise funds for the teen.

Peart told THE STAR that the idea to start a campaign on Clayton's behalf came from a student.

raise funds

He said: "We were having our executive meeting, considering activities for the coming year when one of the vice-presidents came up with the idea to raise funds for Kemar who had been in the hospital since October. We discussed it with members and took it from there. The idea behind the club is service to the community and giving of self. It's not about personal gain, but rather upliftment of the community, so we thought it was in keeping with the ideas of the club."

The club has received support from the wider school as well as from schools nearby. Peart told THE STAR that the Kingston College Key Club and the club from the Convent of Mercy Alpha Academy have pledged their support to the cause. Students from the St Andrew Technical High School also joined in, accompanying the students from Holy Trinity on the walk they did last week. Peart said they raised over $20,000.

Clayton, who is from the Kingston 12 area, has missed his entire fifth-form year and, as a result, the opportunity to sit his CSEC exams.

The Key Club is determined to help him to a full recovery and hopes that he "will one day enjoy life and strive to achieve his full potential which has been curtailed by the callous, insensitive and uncaring action of one motorist".

Anyone willing to assist Clayton may contact the school at 967-7010 or 922-7104.