I’m BFFs with Sue Radford & together we have 30 kids – how we’re getting through the family’s cancer battle together

PUTTING down the phone, Rebecca Walker, 43, smiled to herself after catching up with her best friend Sue Radford, 48.

Sue, mum to Britain’s biggest family, had promised she was going to help raise cash for Rebecca's daughter Sophie, 17, who was in hospital battling cancer.

Sophie had been diagnosed with a Wilms tumour - a type of kidney cancer - on October 25 2017, and started a four-week course of chemotherapy shortly after.

In the years since, she has gone into remission twice - but relapsed four times. 

Throughout this time, Sophie's twin sister, Megan, 17 has been experiencing many of the same symptoms, despite not having the disease herself. 

Family ties

The Radford family, who have been friends with Rebecca's 10 kids since 2013, have been helping raise vital funds for Sophie as she bravely continues to battle the rare cancer. 

Sophie currently has a vitamin C infusion twice a week, to help her build up her strength during her chemo - however it costs £500 a week. 

Rebecca, who lives in Edinburgh with her husband Jamie, 45, who both run a hostel said: "We used to live in Morecambe, which is how we met the Radford family. 

"When I was pregnant with the twins, I told my midwife that I was nervous about my growing family. 

"My midwife told me that one of her ladies had just had her 13th baby and was doing great, which made me feel better. 

"Morecambe isn't a big place, so my husband Jamie and I reached out to Sue and Noel."

The two families quickly bonded and would often go on holiday together to France or Cornwall.

In 2014, the Walkers moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, but remained close to the Radford's, seeing them several times a year.

Rebecca's ten strong brood includes: James, 21, Emily, 20, Ruthie, 18, Daniel, 14, Olivia, 12, Ella, 10, Nathan, eight and Evan, one.  

Sue's support

The-mum-of-ten was ''over the moon'' when Sue and Noel stepped in to support her after Sophie's diagnosis.

Rebecca explained: "When Sophie was diagnosed with cancer, Sue was one of the first people I told. 

"Because we both have so many kids, we'd always speak to each other if ever there was something wrong with one of them. 

Sue was so strong and supportive, she told me that we were going to fight this

Rebecca Walker

"Chances are one of us had seen it with one of the kids. 

"But when we found out Sophie had cancer, the doctors told us there wasn't much they could do. 

"I could barely speak, so I text Sue. 

"I told her that I couldn't lose my daughter. 

"Sue was so strong and supportive, she told me that we were going to fight this."

A family fight

Following the news, the Radfords rallied together, coming up with ways to fundraise cash - whether that's 11-year-old Casper selling his toys, doing a car boot sale with items from their ten-bed Lancashire-based property OR taking part in the Morecambe 5k run. .

“It’s definitely been nice that all of the kids can get involved to help Sophie,'' mum Sue said on the Channel 5 hit series, 22 Kids And Counting.

"I think that’s the thing with having a big family is that everybody just wants to get involved and help others.”

“Yes, from the older ones to the younger ones, every one of them just wants to help out,'' Noel added.

Since being aired, the episode has pulled ''on the heart strings'', leaving fans of the families heartbroken.

As well as thousands racing to chime in with donations as much as they could, dozens praised the bumper brood for standing up and helping their close friends.

Sophie's GoFundMe is currently on £61,845, to put towards her Vitamin C infusions which cost £2000 a month, as well as consultation fees to have her tumour tested in New York.