George’s marathon on a scooter
A schoolboy is preparing to take on a marathon challenge in aid of cancer patients – including his father.
George Handley, from Cannock, will be taking to his scooter each day during March to complete a full marathon and raise funds for the Katherine Allport Foundation.
The eight-year-old has taken on the challenge to help provide people being treated for cancer with special chemotherapy hampers from the palliative care charity after seeing how his father Martyn has been treated by the charity following his bowel cancer diagnosis in 2019.
His mother Claire said the idea for the scooter challenge came from speaking to a friend.
She said: “My friend Elizabeth Haughey is a trustee at the Katherine Allport Foundation and we were speaking about my husband and his diagnosis in 2019.
The charity send out hampers to people about to embark on cancer treatment, with Martyn getting one, and they cost £80 each.
“Elizabeth told me the charity was doing a fundraiser in March to do a marathon over the month, so I signed up George as he’d wanted to do something and he can do it on his scooter.”
The hampers contain a range of items to help people struggling through cancer, such as creams, hot water bottles, blankets and items to suit the interests of the person.
Mrs Handley said she and George had started a fundraiser on Facebook to try and raise £80 towards one hamper, only to find they had raised more than £2,400 before the challenge had even started.
She said the family had been shielding for most of the year due to Covid, but the challenge had given George, who goes to school at Heath Hayes Academy, a chance to get out and get active.
His father Martyn said: “It’s just fantastic and it makes me feel so proud.”
To find out more and to make a donation, go to facebook.com/donate/922117724996410/1583957415136758/
