Three Peaks Challenge - raising money for The Sick Children’s Trust

A local woman has gathered an army of ‘Minions’ to raise money for The Sick Children’s Trust while her step-son undergoes treatment for a rare form of cancer.

St Albans Car and Van Hire provided a van for the expedition, and despite truly atrocious weather the team managed to raise over £1,500. Well done everyone!

Clare Bassett from St Albans and her ‘Jack’s Minions’ took on the famous Three Peaks challenge to raise money to thank the charity for supporting her family while eight-year-old Jack undergoes treatment in Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Brave Jack was admitted to Addenbrooke’s – over an hour away from home – last July when he became ill with pneumonia. Six weeks later, he returned for a routine scan where doctors discovered a football-sized tumour on his lungs. Since then, Jack has remained in hospital undergoing rigorous chemotherapy, and an operation to remove the tumour. Clare, along with husband Martin and Jack’s Mum Rebecca, are being supported by The Sick Children’s Trust with a room in Acorn House so they can be there to support Jack. Clare says:

“Jack is such a strong lad, he’s amazing. Unfortunately, we caught the cancer in the later stages so it’s been a rough road with lots of treatment and a long recovery. Jack is still in Addenbrooke’s on chemotherapy – but he’s getting better each and every day.

“Acorn House has really helped us all be there for Jack. Martin and I are still working full time, so Rebecca stays at the ‘Home from Home’ during the week, and we go and stay there on weekends to give her some time to herself. Doing this has really highlighted just how amazing Acorn House is. When we go to see Jack on an evening after work, sometimes we won’t get there until seven thirty because of the traffic, whereas when you’re at Acorn, you can be there within two minutes.

“It truly is a ‘Home from Home’ - a lovely place to stay that gives families some real peace. Children do get better when their families are right there by their bedside as it boosts their spirits, and lets them know they are not alone. For us parents, it makes things a lot easier and a lot more manageable to be with them every step of the way.”

Jack, who’s an avid Horrid Henry reader, is hoping to be discharged by the end of April, though he'll still receive care and treatment at his home.

The Sick Children’s Trust runs ten ‘Homes from Home’ across the country, two of which are in Cambridge supporting families with sick children in Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie Hospital. ‘Jack’s Minions’ raised more than £1,500 to help other families with seriously ill children stay together. Clare continues:

“Jack keeps me going - every time there’s a big hill, or the weather is horrible, I just think of how much of a fighter he is. At the moment, I’m not far off my target which helps motivate me, but we would love to raise as much as possible for The Sick Children’s Trust to help give other families opportunities to stay just a couple of minutes’ from their child’s hospital bedside.”

“Jack is a very inspirational young man and is getting stronger day by day. His family are so supportive and do lots to cheer him up when he’s feeling a little down. It’s very important for a child to feel that they are not alone when they’re going through something so awful, that’s why our ‘Homes from Home’ are incredibly valued by families. 

We thought this charity was worth supporting, and we hope you will too.