A brave eight-year-old will sound the horn to set thousands of participants off on Race for Life 5k for Cancer Research UK this Sunday 12 July.
Race For Life is the UK’s largest women-only fundraising event, sponsored by Tesco, and includes 5k, 10K and Pretty Muddy events. In total there are more than 300 events from May until September – including 36 in the North West raising funds for vital research.
Eight-year-old Joshua Johns from Langworthy, Salford, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in March last year.
His mum Nikki will be taking part in the event at Heaton Park.
Joshua’s parents Nikki and Jason suspected something was wrong when he tarted suffering from pains in his legs and back and having mild nose bleeds all within the same week. Joshua then developed a terrible stomach ache and headaches.
When his parents took Joshua to see the doctor, the GP ordered a blood test. While the family were waiting for the blood test, which can take up to three weeks, Joshua became very pale and then developed half-a-dozen tiny bruises on his body. At this point Nikki took him straight to casualty where she was told the next morning Joshua had cancer.
Nikki said: “Over the last year he has had to cope with bone marrow tests, lumbar punctures, chemotherapy, steroids, insertion of cannulas and central IV lines to be given drugs. He has coped with maturity beyond his years and asked questions when he didn’t understand. His bravery and acceptance have kept us all strong.”
Earlier this year, Joshua was presented with a Cancer Research UK Little Star award, a joint venture between the charity and TK Maxx, to recognise the courage of children who have been diagnosed with cancer. Joshua has also become very well-known by the postman in Salford after receiving over 3,800 postcards from around the world from well-wishers.
The postcards started arriving after Nikki’s brother-in-law posted a message on Facebook asking friends to send Joshua a postcard because he couldn’t go on holiday due to his treatment. The message went viral and now even stars including Hollywood’s Robert Downey Jr, former Doctor Who actor David Tennant and former Coronation Street actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper, are getting in on the act.
Nikki said: “We’d been due to go to Disneyland Paris last Easter and we had to gently explain we couldn’t go because Joshua had only just started his treatment.
“He was a bit miffed but we thought we’d be able to go to Scotland in the summer so things didn’t seem so bad. Unfortunately as the time got closer doctors informed us that taking him on holiday wouldn’t be possible during such crucial treatment. It was about this time Joshua got sent some homework from school asking him to bring in a postcard from his holidays and that’s how it all began.
“Even though we’ve moved house from Staffordshire back to Salford the postcards keep coming. Some just say: ‘Postcards for Josh’ and still arrive!
“We’ve had over 3,822 postcards from 97 countries and we keep them all filed in boxes. The response has been unbelievable.”
Minecraft fan Josh, who loves playing on his X-box, has now entered the next phase of his treatment which means he has regular blood tests and check-ups for the next three years to make sure that the cancer doesn’t come back as well as oral chemo tablets everyday and a lumbar puncture once every three months to check that there are no cancer cells in his spinal fluid.
The family say it will also be a great experience to stand on stage at Race for Life in Heaton Park – the city’s flagship event which is expected to attract more than 8,000 participants and their families over two days and talk about their experience of cancer.
Nikki, who is also mum to Kristian, 18, Bethan, 16 and Freya, seven, said: “We know how important research is because Joshua took part in a clinical trial where he got to help doctors test a new way of treating leukaemia which might help reduce side effects.
“More research is really important to develop kinder treatments to cure cancer with less side effects and that’s why I’m encouraging as many people as possible to sign up for Race for Life and help raise vital funds to improve cancer treatments.
“Without the likes of Cancer Research UK these trials wouldn’t exist.
“I’ve done the Heaton Park event for the last few years after losing my mum to cancer five years ago and it’s always a very emotional day.”
Cancer Research UK’s North West spokeswoman Jane Bullock said: “The ladies of Greater Manchester never fail to disappoint us with their fundraising spirit and generosity.
“This year we’ve added our first ever Pretty Muddy event at Heaton Park and women have really embraced the challenge!
“Together we’ve shown that Hell Hath No Fury like a Mancunian in Pink!
“We hope to raise around £500,000 for life-saving research in Manchester over the weekend which will help us to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.”
