I am running the Cardiff Half Marathon in memory of Drew Barker-Wright. Drew is the son of my friends Melanie and Jon Barker-Wright.
This is their story.

In early November 2016 three year Drew was diagnosed with Chordoma, a rare type of cancer that occurs in the skull base and spine. He was admitted to Oncology at Birmingham Children's Hospital where he began intensive chemotherapy and surgery.

Drew's journey was fraught with complications from the outset. This was primarily due to the rareness of his cancer and the lack of documented cases. The journey eventually led him to PICU where doctors tried their best to save Drew's life but, he slipped into a coma and Mel and Jon were told that there was nothing more they could to for him clinically. They chose to bring him home for his final days. On the morning of February 24th 2017, Drew took his last breath with his mummy and daddy. His battle was brief and brutal but, bravely fought for one so young.

Since losing Drew, Mel and Jon have tried to find some positivity in all their heartache. Currently, they are in the process of setting up a charitable trust in Drew's name. This charity will focus on raising money to fund paediatric chordoma research and support young children around the world whose lives have been devastated by this cancer.

For their first event in Drew's memory, Mel and Jon have assembled a team of 50+ runners to take on the Cardiff Half Marathon on October 1st 2017. The team consists of seasoned runners and absolute beginners.
This is the first of many events in Drew's memory, with the aim being, to raise as much money as possible and improve the chances of survival for paediatric chordoma sufferers worldwide.

Please support #TeamDrew as we dedicate our time, sweat and tears to the memory of Mel and Jon's darling little boy.