A terminally ill Dutch six-year-old boy, who hoped to raise a few hundred euros for other sick children by daring people to paint their nails in garish colours, had raised more than one million. Tijn Kolsteren, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in May, launched the appeal only two days ago but it has quickly fired the imagination of the Dutch public who had donated more than 1,270,000 euros at the last count.
Celebrities, politicians, presenters and actors have been among thousands of people who have posted pictures of their painted nails online, with far-right politician Geert Wilders plumping for deep red. The appeal is part of a traditional event in The Netherlands where radio DJs lock themselves away for several days without food or drink to raise money. This year, proceeds are going to the Red Cross. The Dutch press hailed the boy as a hero, with the tabloid AD putting a picture of him dressed as a superhero under the headline "SuperTijn".
