Youngsters from schools and football teams across York are to take on a five kilometre run filled with obstacles in memory of a Dunnington schoolboy, who died from a brain tumour aged nine.
On Saturday (June 10) the participants will run, jump and bounce across the inflatable course at Harewood House, near Leeds, to raise funds for OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity.
The charity was set up by Marie and Ian Hughes in memory of their son Oscar, who died in 2014.
In 2020, Ian also died of a brain tumour and a few days after Ian’s funeral his son, four-year-old Milo, was diagnosed with the same disease and died a year later.
Nine years after Oscar’s death pupils from Wilberfoss Primary and Bootham School, who have both chosen OSCAR’s as their charity to support this year, are joining forces with players from Wigginton Grasshoppers Girls and Bedale Juniors in his memory.
Wilberfoss Primary headteacher Kris Henderson is taking part and said: “OSCAR's is a really pertinent charity for our school as it arose from such a sad event just down the road that the children can empathise and connect to.
“I am really looking forward to running the race alongside everyone else taking part and our whole family is going to give it a go, even our daughter who is only five and the youngest runner on the team.”
Phil Martinez, who now manages the charity, used to be Oscar’s teacher.
He has visited both schools to chat to children and staff, and said he has been “blown away” by the support.
Phil said he is keen to talk in more schools to spread the charity’s message of raising awareness.
“Children helping other children is a cornerstone of what we are about,” he said.
“When Oscar was undergoing treatment for his brain tumour, he organised a marathon relay at school to raise money for a charity that was supporting him.
"Oscar’s determination to help others is what inspired his parents to set up this charity after he died.
“To see so many new and young faces taking part in this event is a real testament to the legacy he has left us.
"It makes you proud to see these youngsters going out of their way to help others of the same age – it is the sort of attitude what we want to see in our children.”
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The charity hope to raise over £10,000 with the run to help fund support and care for children with brain tumours, raise awareness of the disease amongst other schoolchildren and health professionals to help improve diagnosis, as well as continue to fund research.
Anyone wishing to make a donation to OSCAR’s can head to their general JustGiving Page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/oscars2022
To find out more about the charity visit: www.oscarspbtc.org
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