I'm taking on the STEPtember Challenge to raise money for PASIC Cancer Support. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Recently, one of my closest friends has received the agonising & heartbreaking news that her gorgeous happy little boy Jonah has been diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, neuroblastoma, at the tender age of 9 months old.

PASIC are running this challenge to raise awareness of the extra costs families face when travelling to hospital for a child's cancer treatment.On average, this is a 60 mile round trip, costing families over £180 a month, and can continue for years following a child's diagnosis. Other expenses such as food and hospital carparking, hotel stays all build up.

For my beautiful friend and her family this is a 160mile / 4 hour round trip each visit. Sadly this is the down side of living in a rural Lincolnshire seaside town, meaning they have to travel out of county to Nottinghamshire for relentless appointments and treatment. He is an absolute warrior, about to start his 3rd round of chemotherapy.

This happens at a time when parents have had to give up work (or in Rochelle's case on extended unpaid maternity leave) or reduce hours to care for their unwell child. Plunging many families into debt. Nearly all children diagnosed with cancer in our region will travel to either Nottingham Children's Hospital or Leicester Children's Hospital (or Northampton General). For many families this a long drive for sometimes daily treatment.

PASIC has Support Workers at all three hospitals, providing much-needed practical, financial and emotional support and have already provided Rochelle and Jonah with support.

I wish to raise money to enable PASIC to continue to provide the brilliant support they offer, and have set a target to walk / run 150 miles during September, the distance between the 3 hospitals and back.

Please support me in raising £250 an average monthly cost, for a family travelling distances like Rochelle and Jonah.

Thank you :)

Sam xx

Update 16.09.23

Thank you for all the donations so far! I am stoked to have achieved my original target of £250, so have now increased this to £350!! Let’s raise more for this awesome charity which has already supported my beautiful friend and her gorgeous family.