During February 2017, our family received the devastating news that we never imagined possible.  Alice, our beautiful 11 year old daughter, was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. 

Primary bone cancers are cancers that start in the bone. They are rare, with only about 530 new cases each year in the UK. There are several different types of bone cancer. Osteosarcoma is one of the most common types.

Alice's tumour is in her femur and we are thankful that it is an isolated tumour that hasn't spread to other bones or organs.

7 months of intensive chemotherapy treatment began at Addenbrooke's hospital, Cambridge, as soon as possible after the diagnosis.

Our family, and of course particularly Alice, was immediately thrown into a new world that was completely alien to us.  The intense treatment that Alice is receiving, the hospital stays, travelling to Cambridge, disruption to family life, cost of travel, emotional support required....the list goes on!

The doctors and nurses at Addenbrooke's have been tremendous and Victoria and I are very grateful to our employers, The Priory Ruskin Academy and Ezytrac Property Management, for being so supportive.  Without the incredible help and support from our friends and family, the daily logistics of everyday life would have been very difficult.  We thank you all for being there for us!

During Alice's treatment, we have been thankful for the support that CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood) Sargent has provided.  This has included an initial financial contribution made to help with travel costs, nursing, social work (helping us to fill in forms), accommodation, literature to help us understand Alice's illness and the journey we are all going through.  In fact, every help imaginable that a family with a child suffering from cancer requires appears to be provided by CLIC Sargent.

During our discussions with other parents, we have also become aware of families who are struggling to cope with their child's illness and the pressures that the lifestyle change has created.  Many don't have the support of employers or family and if it wasn't for charities like CLIC Sargent, their journey would be so much darker.

In order to be able to give just a little bit back in return for the incredible support that we have received, my son Charlie and I will be running the London Marathon in April 2018 to raise as much money for the CLIC Sargent cause as we possibly can.  Any support that you can give to help the families who have either received the life changing news that their child has cancer, or will receive the terrible diagnosis in the future, would be much appreciated.  The work that CLIC Sargent do is so important and our family will be forever grateful for the support that they provide.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.