Three-year-old Longbenton lad Harry Watson completed the Mini Great North Run at the weekend for a heart-breaking cause - his Uncle Joshy has incurable cancer.
Harry and dad Mark took part in the 1.5km race along the Quayside in aid of the charity Myeloma UK. Myeloma UK is very close to their hearts because Harry's uncle Josh Addison, 27, was diagnosed with the illness - for which there is no cure - shortly before his nephew was born.
Harry has now raised more than £500 and speaking to ChronicleLive with his mum Rebecca, said he had loved the run. "I did my race. I was running on Saturday for my uncle," he said.
Rebecca - an intensive care nurse at the RVI in Newcastle - took on the story. She said: "He was doing it for my brother Josh who was diagnosed with myeloma when he was just 23. Harry has always been close to Josh and he was so happy to do the run for him. He had a great race and thinks he's a champion!"
Josh, from Walker, had to give up his job in a pub when he was diagnosed, and struggles with the implications of living with his illness. Rebecca added: "He went in hospital because he was septic but they couldn’t figure out why he had an infection. It took a while for them to realise it was myeloma. He was only 23 when he was diagnosed.
"It has been awful but he’s in remission now and that’s all we can hope for. But I know Josh struggles every time he has a hospital appointment – he automatically thinks it’s going to be bad news.”
Myeloma is the third most common kind of blood cancer, but just one in 10 of those diagnosed are under the age of 55. It can be especially difficult to detect because many of the symptoms, including back pain, easily broken bones, fatigue and recurring infections can be linked to other more benign illnesses.
Rebecca added: “I work in a hospital and when I was telling the doctors about my brother’s symptoms they said, ‘It sounds like myeloma but he’s far too young, it will not be that’. It’s important for people to know about myeloma and that you can get it at any age. It’s an older person’s cancer but it doesn’t mean younger people aren’t going to get it too.”
Josh, who is under the care of Professor Graham Jackson at the Freeman Hospital, said he was chuffed with his nephew's fundraising, adding: "Harry is the bomb! I’m so proud of my little man." To support Harry's fundraising, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/rebecca-watson54.
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