Two years ago I discovered the joys of trail running, and last year I set myself the goal of completing an ultramarathon for each month of the year.

This year, my sights are set on the biggest event in the trail running calendar – The Ultra-Trail Du Mont Blanc (UTMB).

On Friday 29th August, I’ll be lining up alongside 2,000 fellow runners in Chamonix, Switzerland to take on the 171km route. Starting late afternoon, the race goes through two nights contouring the Mont Blanc massive, going through France and Italy, climbing over 10,000m before arriving 48 hours later back in Chamonix.

In taking this on, I am looking to raise money for research into Rhabdomyosarcoma, in memory of George (in his own words, ‘Just George’). The hope is that kinder, more effective treatments can be discovered for childhood cancer.

At the age of 3 (May ‘22), George was a healthy boy. Overnight a lump appeared in the temple location on the right side of his head, with no other symptoms. Following a fast process of scans and biopsies, he was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma. Full genome sequencing identified the high risk MyoD1 mutation.

An intense package of treatment was put into place. Seemingly successful, after six months active treatment ended in December 2022, at which point treatment switched to maintenance chemotherapy. Five months later, the tumour returned and despite the knowledge of success rate being in single figures, relapse treatment began. The tumour continued to grow, and in July, treatment ended, and care for George was gently passed to the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice for ongoing care.

On top of side effects from cancer treatment, George also required a tracheostomy for six months, suffered from trismus, was fed and medicated through a gastrostomy button, fought through COVID, chickenpox, temperature spikes and in late late summer lost the sight in his right eye.

George smiled and danced his way through treatment, bouncing back from the challenges, demonstrating incredible strength. He stayed so beautifully in the present, being positive, waking each day expecting to feel well. In September, despite the tumour progressing, the cancer spreading and high doses of pain medication, George started school. He strolled in on his first day, ready to learn.

On the 14th October ‘23, George took his last breath, joining the little stars lighting up the universe.

4,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year, but only 2% of cancer funding is dedicated to childhood cancers. The last chemotherapy added for high risk Rhabdomyosarcoma was over 40 years ago in 1980.

Focusing their emotions and energy in a positive light, David and Lisa (George’s parents) are campaigning to raise funds, specifically for research into Rhabdomyosarcoma. As well as discovering more effective treatments, their hope is that kinder treatments for children can be found. If their fund can go any way to helping other families battling this horrendous disease, then George’s incredible fight would have been for something.