Community / Runners bid to raise charity funds after ‘shock’ cancer diagnosis for young Jackson
NINE Shetlanders will run the streets of London next year to raise money for a toddler with cancer.
Jackson Haining was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma in August – two months before his second birthday.
The rare form of cancer affects children, mostly under the age of five, and develops in nerve cells in the stomach.
The diagnosis came as a “complete shock”, dad Brett said.
“It was the last thing we would have assumed,” he said.
“He’s had lots of issues with his stomach but you don’t think it’s going to be cancer.
“We only know of a few other children who have been affected by cancer in Shetland.”
After Jackson’s mother Rachel posted on social media about his diagnosis, the family were flooded with messages of support.
And Brett’s friend Jordan Thomason – who was part of a group which helped raise tens of thousands for Teenage Cancer Trust last year by running the Edinburgh Marathon for Luke Malcolmson – stepped in with an offer to organise a similar fundraiser for young Jackson.
“Jordan has been involved with quite a lot of charity stuff before, and he reached out to one of the cancer charities about doing something,” Brett said.
“He started putting a team together, and we had some guys offering to run that have never really run before.
“I’m quite an avid runner, but for them to want to do that for us was really nice.”
The nine runners – experts and novices alike – will tackle the London Marathon in April next year to raise money for Children with Cancer UK.
Jackson’s grandad Maurice Haining – well known in the Shetland badminton scene – will be one of those lacing up his shoes to tackle the capital’s 26.2 mile course.
And the fundraiser has already got off to a flying start – raising almost £5,500 in just over a week.
Brett said they had been left stunned by the generosity.
“It’s really quite crazy,” he said.
“It’s definitely unique to small places like Shetland and Orkney. Folk really bind together.
“Some of these people sending messages and donating, I’ve never met them or spoken to them.
“I never take for granted living in Shetland.”
Jackson has already started chemotherapy in Aberdeen, with his family there by his side.
Brett said the diagnosis came after they noticed “a small lump” on the side of his stomach early last month.
“We were trying to get him an appointment for it, but we had to wait a week for one,” he said.
“There was no signs of anything else being wrong with him at all.
“The GP saw him and said to get him up to A&E. They did an ultrasound and noticed a really big mass in his stomach.
“They said they were fairly confident it was something like cancer.”
Brett was working offshore at the time, with wife Rachel putting the doctor on the phone to him to tell him the news.
A nearby helicopter was called from another rig to whisk him to Aberdeen to meet the family, with a worker giving up their seat so Brett could get onboard.
A biopsy confirmed the family’s worst fears, with Jackson eventually diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma.
“We didn’t really have any knowledge or understanding of high-risk neuroblastoma or any other children’s cancers,” Brett said.
“It was completely new to us.”
Jackson is now undergoing treatment at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, and Brett said they had been “really good” with the family.
“They don’t sugar-coat anything. They tell you as much or as little as you want to know.
“They’ve been great, everybody there has been brilliant. They’re absolutely great with all of the kids.”
And Brett said Jackson has been responding well to his treatment so far.
“We are in the first stage of his treatment plan, which takes roughly 70 days,” he said.
“He receives chemotherapy for two days and then has roughly a week of recovery before receiving his next course.
“There’s five stages in total, which all going well will take 12-14 months.
“We are going to Glasgow in November with Jackson to allow them to harvest his stem cells as part of the following stages of treatment. “But he’s responding quite well to it, he’s in good spirits.”
You can donate to the fundraiser by following this link.
Become a member of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -
- Remove non-local ads;
- Bookmark posts to read later;
- Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
- Hide membership messages;
- Comments open for discussion.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.
Already a member? Sign in to hide this message.
