Carter the Brave raises £6,000 after cancer win
A schoolboy who battled Leukaemia for more than three years has topped £6,000 in fundraising for the hospital that treated him after completing a 10k run.
Carter Chatting, from Lichfield, took to the city’s streets on Sunday, putting his best foot forward in aid of Birmingham Children’s Hospital (BCH).
The nine-year-old’s route began at Stowe Pool and took in Minster Pool, Walsall Road, Darwin Park, Caterbanck Way, Chesterfield Road and The Fosseway before heading back towards the city centre, finishing at Speaker’s Corner.
His mother, Lucy, was delighted to see him cross the finish line.
“It was the best thing ever,” she said. “Carter was buzzing at the end – he was a bit emotional.
“Now hopefully he is on the road to recovery.”
After being diagnosed with leukaemia in January 2016, when he was aged four, Carter bravely fought the disease for three and a half years enduring many hospital visits and repeated periods of treatment.
Despite being in remission Carter has also had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 18 months leaving him with lethargy, aching legs and, at the start of the first lockdown, in a wheelchair.
But last November he started to feel better and returned to Lichfield Cathedral School full time after years of disrupted education.
He also took up running taking on the challenge of Couch to 5K with his father, Matthew, 45.
“In the New Year Carter said he wanted to do a 10K run for the Carter The Brave charity which raises money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital,” said Lucy, 49.
“I suggested we do it after lockdown but he said he wanted to go for it while he felt well. Carter has trained throughout the latest lockdown and had bad days and good but a few weeks ago he ran 9K.
“Ten kilometres is a long way to run but there was no stopping him.”
The Carter the Brave charity has so far raised £238,000 for BCH.
Fifty per cent of the money goes to the Carter The Brave Research Foundation with the other half helping to buy equipment for the hospital’s cancer ward and clinic.
Lucy said she wished to thank everyone who cheered Carter on during the run on Sunday.
“It was lovely that people came out to stand on their drives and support him along the way,” said Lucy.
Carter’s big sister, Monica, 11, also cheered him on.
“She is really proud of her brother,” said Lucy, who added that the children’s hospital was set to nominate Carter for its Young Fundraiser of the Year Award.
“We are really proud of his tenacity and determination,” added Lucy.
Miranda Williams, head of public fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Carter is an absolute star and to see him taking on such an incredible challenge after everything he’s been through and overcome is truly inspirational.
“We’re so grateful to Carter and his family for their continued support.
“The phenomenal amount Carter has raised for us with his 10k challenge will help us continue to make our hospital a better place and improve the experience for Carter and many more brave children and young people like him.”
Anyone wishing to make a donation is asked to visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/carterthebrave
Report by Andy Kerr
