A team of firefighters are set to run 200 miles this weekend in aid of an eight-year-old Sunderland fan who is battling a very rare form of childhood cancer.
Run for Oliver is in aid of football-mad Oliver Maw of Millfield, Sunderland, was diagnosed with a stage 4 high risk Neuroblastoma in February 2021. He has raised £160,000 alongside his triplet brothers Oscar and Owen since then, however, he is still £100,000 short of the total needed to fund a potentially life-saving vaccine in the United States.
Oliver has already had chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy at the Great North Children's Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, but neuroblastoma is aggressive and has a high relapse rate - and the specialist vaccine vaccine abroad would lower the chances of the cancer returning. The illness is the same that was suffered by Bradley Lowery, and the foundation set up by Bradley's family are supporting Oliver's cause.
Avid Sunderland fan Oliver received a good luck message from Black Cats midfielder Luke O'Nien, who will be there at the Great North Children's Hospital on Friday to cheer on 13 firefighters from the Tyne and Wear Fire Service on Friday as they embark on a run from Newcastle to Leicester, with the aim of raising more money for Oliver. Pete Wilson, a crew manager at TWFRS, is Oliver's uncle and he and his colleagues have helped to contribute to the money raised for far.
Though Peter isn't able to take part in the run himself, he hopes to be present at the finish line to congratulate his colleagues on running 200 miles in their full kit. Watch manager, Graeme Taylor, who works alongside him said that he was proud to run for such an amazing cause alongside colleagues from Gateshead, Tynemouth, Gosforth, Barmston Mere, South Shields, Sunderland and Washington, saying: "Oliver is an inspiration to us all.
"He has had to overcome so much in his seven years but if you meet him his smile is infectious and there is always a friendly wave to everyone. The firefighting blue light family always sticks together and it’s heart-warming to see everyone coming together to try and create a better life for Oliver."
Firefighters are running from Newcastle to Leicester after firefighters from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service heard about Oliver's fundraiser in October 2022 and ran from their base up to Newcastle in thirty hours. Once they crossed the finish line, they handed over the baton to their colleagues at TWFRS, who accepted the return challenge.
The 13 North East firefighters will set off at 7.30am on Friday morning before arriving in Leicester city centre on Saturday afternoon. Graeme finished: "Oliver’s bravery matched with the generosity of our fellow firefighters at Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service has totally inspired us to pick up the baton and quite literally help the crews to run for Oliver’s life."
And Oliver will also be there to cheer the runners on. He said: "I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who is trying their best to try and get me better, I can’t wait to be able to have a proper kick about with my brothers and friends and not have to worry about my treatment.
"You are all just the best! Ha'way the lads and lasses."
If you would like to support Oliver, there are two Just Giving pages, one for the Run for Oliver (taking place on 31 March and 1 April), and the overall fundraising page Olivers Fight Against Neuroblastoma. Alternatively, people can also donate £2 by texting the word “Oliver” to 70450.
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