My name is George and some of you might already know, in October last year, during the Covid pandemic of 2020 (when I was 14) I was diagnosed with Cancer.

Leading up to my diagnosis, during the first lockdown, I was not feeling very well and my self esteem was low, I felt I needed to loose a little weight and recharge my motivation and all of this was compounded by the unfolding pandemic. Then I met William my personal trainer. William became my friend as well as my trainer and inspired me to achieve my fitness goals, he came to my garden and trained with me, building my confidence and self esteem as I became fitter and stronger. I was suffering with pains but I would dismiss them, just putting them down to aches from excercise and the stress of lockdown.

In the October half-term of 2020, I looked in the mirror and I could see a large swelling on my neck, which I hadnt noticed before.

My mum said not to worry, it would likely be a pulled muscle or a small injury from working out. Mum got me an appointment at the doctors that morning.

And I was told to go straight to A&E to get a scan.

All of a sudden, I was surrounded by doctors, then emergency doctors, all asking lot of questions. I had blood being taken, ultrasounds, CT scans and chest X-rays. Then the room with the box of tissues on the table and the seven doctors and nurses with their masks on.. all eyes staring and amplifying everything, the fear, the unknown, the sadness and then the terrifying, heartbreaking news that no one ever wants to hear, youve got Cancer. I cried and asked am I going to die.. but I had the agonizing wait of two weeks. No one knew what kind of cancer I had or whether it was treatable.

I went to London for my biopsy and then stayed on the T12 cancer ward, where teenagers live and stay while they have their treatment. I had more bloods, heart monitoring and an hour PET scan with dye. There was an agonizing 1 week wait from the biopsy. The results were given on my 15th birthday I had Hodgkin Lymphoma with bulk in my neck and chest.

My life has been a huge challenge since that day in October 2020. My treatment was very intense and I felt very scared and afraid. I had four rounds of chemo and steroids in London. The side effects have been greatly debilitating, body pains, my hair falling out, sickness and gaining over 2.5 stone in weight.

I had to lay off my training sessions as I was too poorly.

But Now William and I are training again and Im rebuilding my life, although I am still suffering with body pains and of course the fear of my 3 month full body scans with dye in London.

William and I have decided to do this Nuclear Mud Race to raise money and support the charities that have been there in my darkest of days. Together we want to highlight and raise money for other young cancer patients. These are the three charities that were there for me: Ben Saunders Foundation, for giving me the gift of a holiday this year, Clic Sargent for hosting us in their wonderful Pauls House in London while I was having treatment, and Teenage Cancer trust.

Ive only done a few half-days at school, my body isnt back on track but William and I are going to run the Nuclear Mud Race which will be a huge personal challenge for me but I really would love to give each of the charities £1000 each..

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and any donation even if Its £1 will be a massive place in my heart.

#fightcancer

#Keepgoing

#teenagecancerisnotok