At the age of 13 Oren was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Even more unusually, the cancer affected his upper jaw.

Oren spent his 14th birthday in a 12-hour operation to remove the affected bone in his skull. There followed around 8 months of gruelling chemotherapy, with Oren spending several days each week as an inpatient while the drugs were infused and then flushed from his system. Between treatments he often suffered from terrible exhaustion, nausea and other side effects. The six cycles of therapy, running from November until June, cost him practically a whole year of school education.

The treatment that Oren received from Oxford Children's Hospital was amazing. Everyone on Melanie's ward (surgery) and Kamran's ward (chemotherapy) was kind and compassionate: nurses, doctors, teachers, cleaners, catering staff... Despite everything he was going through, Oren always remained positive and uncomplaining, brilliantly supported by the hospital.

As soon as he was strong enough, Oren decided to take up running in order to improve his fitness and fundraise in aid of the hospital that had given him so much. He has set himself a goal of running 1000 miles during 2023.

Oren has been working hard to achieve the target distance well before the end of the year. He has been doing the local park run as well as solo runs, and signed up for cross-country running as his school sports option for autumn term 2023.

He is on track to finish the distance at a special event organised by his school on 12 December.