The Why, and Walk

I've chosen to walk The Wye Valley Walk in memory of George: a beautiful boy who enjoyed the great outdoors, and meant so much to so many.

Over the course of a week, I'll follow the Wye for 136 miles of river and hill walking, from the rugged upland moorlands of the mountains of mid Wales, through Hereford and down to the Severn near Chepstow. This walk is known for its beauty and tranquility making it the perfect setting to remember George.

I hope to help other families facing devastating diagnoses and to keep George's legacy alive. See George's story below and Thank you for reading.

From George's Family

George woke up his normal cheeky self one morning but after he had wolfed down his marmite on toast he went on to be sick. After that moment, little did we know our lives would be turned upside down forever.

After George had been sick, he had a lie-down and when he woke up his face had dropped on the one side so we called 999.

We were rushed to Birmingham where the next morning George was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma - (DIPG) which is a highly malignant brain tumour (cancer). DIPG affects children almost exclusively who are between the ages of 4 and 11 and children typically experience a month or less of symptoms before diagnosis and then worsen rapidly. Due to the location of the tumour survival rate is 0%.

In George's case, the tumour had haemorrhaged (explaining an even more sudden downfall) and we were told he would die at any moment. In the consultant's words; "You have been hit by lightning".

6 weeks later on the 12th of October 2020, George passed away at home in our arms.

From George's Fund

When George was unwell, we were deeply grateful for the support we received from many special charities. Their care ensured that we had everything we needed, allowing us to focus on bringing George back to a warm and loving home, surrounded by a strong network of support.

Reflecting on George’s short but special life, we feel a profound sense of peace, knowing he lived it fully and happily and for that, we will always be grateful.

In his memory, we have established George’s Fund to extend this same sense of security and happiness to other children. Whether they are grieving the loss of a loved one, living in low-income households, facing serious illness, dealing with disabilities, or struggling emotionally, we want to help them.

George had a deep love for the outdoors, and it has continued to be a source of healing for our family since he died. Through George’s Fund, we aim to provide grants to local projects in Herefordshire that help children aged 3-11 overcome physical and emotional challenges by connecting with nature and the great outdoors.

To see some of the projects George's Fund has supported click HERE!