Barton man Chases the Sun for childhood brain cancer
On Saturday, June 21, bereaved dad Matt Fox, from Barton-le-Clay, will be taking on Chase the Sun - cycling 200 miles east to west from sunrise in Whitby, to sunset in Ayr, in just 24 hours.
He’ll be joined by close friends from the village, who are all raising money for the Tessa Jowell Foundation in memory of Matt’s son George, who was only 13 years old when he died from a glioblastoma brain tumour.
Matt says: “Life without George is unbearable. Cycling has become a way for me to release some of the trauma — and every time I’m on my bike, I think of him. Every single second.
"This challenge is my way of giving something back. It’s a chance to make a difference, to honour George’s memory by doing something meaningful.
"Some of the experiences we went through at the end of George’s life were truly terrifying. If we can help change that for just one other family, then it means everything to us.
"On the day of the ride, it will be just me and my boy in my thoughts. I hope he’s looking down, proud of his dad.”
George is so much missed and has inspired an extraordinary campaign to fundraise for paediatric brain cancer research, treatment, and care. The funds Matt raises will go to support a very special training course for staff working with children diagnosed with brain cancer, funded by the Tessa Jowell Foundation and run by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission.
Brain cancer is the biggest cancer killer of children in the UK. Tumours affecting the brain are the second most common childhood cancer, and every year around 420 children just like George are diagnosed with a brain or spinal cord tumour (CRUK, 2022).
Donate to Matt’s fundraiser here https://www.justgiving.com/page/chasethesunforgeorge to help more children like George.