AN ‘OVERWHELMED’ Rugby family have thanked more than 100 people who have signed up to an endurance event in memory of their nine-year-old son who died earlier this year.
Barnaby Williams passed away in February from a rare paediatric brain cancer called Medulloblastoma, after bravely battling the illness for two years.
Barnaby, who was a pupil at Crescent School in Bilton, spent six months in Birmingham Children’s Hospital (BCH) undergoing intensive treatment.
His family and close friends have already raised £15,000 for the hospital by competing in two editions of the Birmingham Half Marathon – and now that total is set to be more than doubled through the Wolf Run, which takes place on Sunday (June 9).
Around 130 friends, family and members of the Crescent School community have signed up for the event, which sees competitors take on a string of testing obstacle assault courses at Stanford Hall near Lutterworth.
Barnaby’s dad Chris said the response to the event had been overwhelming for him, his wife Tina and Barnaby’s sister Beau.
He said: “A close group of friends had entered the Birmingham Half Marathon for the last two years, but so many people were touched by what happened to Barnaby and the way he fought, that they also wanted to help, and this seemed the perfect way.
“Barnaby loved the outdoors and sports. When he first became ill, he had played football for Rugby Borough on the Saturday and rugby for Old Laurentians on the Sunday, before falling sick on the Monday. By the Friday of that week, he was in Birmingham Children’s Hospital undergoing surgery.
“One moment he was a happy, healthy and active seven-year-old, and suddenly that was all turned upside down.
“The hospital and the staff were brilliant throughout and do so much fantastic work. He was in hospital for six months, which was very difficult to cope with along with home life and everything else, but they made it as manageable as possible.
“His school was fantastic and many of those taking part in the Wolf Run are connected to the Crescent. We cannot thank them enough.”
The family hope their fundraising efforts this year will generate more than £50,000 for Young Lives vs Cancer and BCH.
A memorial page has already raised over £18,000 for Young Lives vs Cancer. Visit https://tinyurl.com/264zjxwr to donate.
Those taking part in the Wolf Run are raising money through Just Giving as part of Barnaby’s Warriors. Visit https://tinyurl.com/uacwdb3v to support them.
Donations can also be made at https://tinyurl.com/y7z8hm8c – Chris’ personal Just Giving page.
