#AllForRio 12 week challenge

In April 2022 my nephew Rio was diagnosed with Wilms tumour, a rare type of kidney cancer, at just 3 years old.

Since his diagnosis, Rio has had 33 weeks of chemotherapy, 10 consecutive days of radiotherapy and 4 hours of surgery to remove his right kidney and main tumour.

As Rio approaches the end of his treatment (9 more weeks of chemotherapy to go), I’m doing a 12-week fitness challenge to hopefully raise some funds to support any future treatment he may need.

Whilst we hope and pray the CT and MRI scans after his treatment show him to be cancer free, the high-risk features of Rio’s diagnosis make the cancer more likely to come back. Should he relapse, he won’t have many (if any) options left for treatment in the UK and Rio’s chances of survival will plummet to around 10%.

We may find ourselves in a desperate position where Rio needs to access a clinical trial overseas to try and save his life – and we want to be prepared for this. Rio’s consultant explained a pot of fundraising money would help to fund these treatments so through the #AllForRio fundraising efforts we’re hoping to raise £250,000.

Rio really is an amazing little boy and does everything with that big smile on his face! If he can smile and sing his way through this horrible disease, I can take myself out of my comfort zone and meet this challenge. For those who know me, I’m not the sporty one in my family. But I’ve signed up to a local gym to do 2 regular coached sessions at 6.30am each week and I’m also committing to do the equivalent of a marathon a week either by running, walking or cycling – for 12 weeks!

I will never ever forget the phone call I received from my brother telling me Rio has cancer and I will do anything I can to help the fundraising efforts. I’d be so grateful for any support you can give, however big or small. I start on 16 January 2023. Wish me luck!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sarah x

#AllForRio

A massive thank you to my best friend Helen who is going to do the challenge with me for moral support - we got this!