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Beth’s muddy good
way to say thanks
A ten-year-old schoolgirl who beat cancer has raised more than £1,200, along with family and friends, by taking part in a Race for Life kids’ event. Deborah Wain reports
BETH Shaw from Woodseats was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma – a rare aggressive cancer - in one of her lungs at the age of three.
She spent eight months undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy as a patient at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
Beth completed her treatment in 2011 and, thankfully, has remained free of cancer since then, now only returning to the hospital for yearly check-ups
Beth completed Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life Pretty Muddy Kids event in Graves Park, which involved a 5k course incorporating muddy obstacles.
Beth (centre) and pals celebrate their success
group could all do this together. They had a lot of fun and want to do it all again next year!”
The group also did the fund-raiser in memory or honour of other family members affected by cancer.
Beth was originally thought to have had a viral infection but Lyndsey and husband Adrian became seriously concerned when she started coughing and vomiting after bouncing on her trampoline.
Later the youngster developed pneumonia and her lung collapsed. While Beth was being treated at the Children’s, her family learned the devastating news
she had cancer.
Beth during her treatment
She was joined by her cousins Oscar and Eve Campbell, aged seven and ten, and Niamh Dobbs, nine, as well as friends Jessica Bows, Ruby Martin and Emily Phillips, all also aged nine.
The youngsters called themselves ‘The Abbey Lane Crew’ as they all go to Abbey Lane School.
Beth’s proud mum, Lyndsey, said: “The older Beth gets, she is a bit more aware of what happened to her. It was her idea to do the event and she asked her cousins and friends to join her. It was so lovely that the
She underwent treatment at the Children’s and Weston Park Hospitals, amazing everyone with the way she coped.
Lyndsey and Adrian are hugely grateful for the expertise of medical teams in Sheffield as well as the emotional and practical support they were given by the charity PACT – the Parents Association of Children with Tumours and Leukaemia.
Beth now has two sisters; Erin, aged four, and seven-month-old Nell.
There is still time to make a donation for the crew’s efforts. Visit fundraise.cancer researchuk.org/team/ abbeylane-crew
Hundreds of fund- raisers took part in Race for Life events in Graves Park.
From left: Ruby, Jessica, Oscar, Beth, Niamh, Emily and Eve
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Negotiating the muddy Graves Park course