I am running (well I’m going to try and run on the basis I have not done a huge amount of training) the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 9 October 2016 to raise money in memory of Ollie Anstey.  Ollie was 17 months old when he lost his fight with Neuroblastoma, a very rare childhood cancer.  Please donate & help his family find a cure for this terrible disease & build a legacy for Ollie.

Ollie's story is below:

Ollie was diagnosed with High Risk Neuroblastoma in June 2015 at just 11 months.  After weeks of visits to the doctor with Ollie having an ear infection and Ollie being poorly we finally got referred to Paediatrician.  It was a relief that someone was finally listening and helping Ollie.  Ollie was sent for chest x-ray and ultra sound.  During the ultra sound we asked if everything was ok, the doctor said there was a lump, at that point our world came crashing down.  A Doctor explained that its most likely that the lump was cancerous and if Ollie’s blood pressure remained high he would have to go to Great Ormond Street in the morning.  On 6 June we arrived at GOSH with mixed emotions, we felt safe Ollie was in good hands but scared we were at such a place.  The following two weeks consisted of bone marrow tests, biopsys, scans & canuallas which we found horrendous.  We were thank full when Ollie got his double hickman line (used for bloods & chemo).  We waited 10 long days for the diagnosis and were told more divesting news that Ollie had Stage 4 High risk Neuroblastoma and needed a year of intense treatment.  By 13 June Ollie had continued to deteriorate and the disease had spread to Ollie’s bones and around his Jaw (causing the pulling of his ear).  Ollie was in so much pain it was unbearable, he had nerve pulsey which caused one side of his face to drop and was put on Morphine and Ketamine.  Ollie also had black eyes caused by the tumour.  Chemotherapy was started immediately, the tumour reduced but released adrenalin into his body.  Ollie was struggling to breathe so was rushed to ITCU.  We spent 6 weeks in GOSH until Ollie was finally allowed home between treatments. Between July and November Ollie had been in and out of hospital, he had sepsis from his Hickman line and needed to have a new one put it.  He also had temperatures from the effects of the chemo and needed regular blood and platelet transfusions. Ollie’s bones didn't respond as well as we hoped so Ollie had another two rounds of chemo.  After more tests Ollie's bones still hasn't respond, it broke our heart the treatment was so tough.  We enjoyed every minute of Ollie being at home for the last 5 weeks.  We took Ollie to the zoo, parks & farms.  He loved the Ducks.  In November Ollie became sick so we took him to the local hospital where he was monitored but started to have seizers.  Ollie had a CT scan that showed the tumour had spread to his brain.  We were blue lighted to GOSH that afternoon.  When we arrived we were told Ollie had pressure on the brain & to relieve the pressure Ollie was sent for an emergency brain operation to have a shunt.  This helped for a few days but unfortunately the disease spread so fast that there wasn’t anything more the doctors could do.  Ollie had been so brave & so happy.  He never moaned, so much braver than us adults.  He has taught us so much and we are so lucky to have had Ollie in our life's.  We are the proudest parents.  More research is needed to help cure this terrible disease.  A 100 Children are diagnosed with Neuroblastoma each year.  Ollie had a rare type of Neuroblastoma - only 4 children known in the world.  We would like to raise awareness of the terrible disease and help find a cure as no child should have to go through this.