Dad to take on half marathon following daughter's cancer diagnosis

Hartlepool steel plant worker Christopher Sayers, 39, is taking on the Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon race in aid of CLIC Sargent, which has provided specialist support to his family since two-year-old daughter Daisy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow, in November.

Peterlee man Christopher, a mechanical team lead at Tata Steel’s 20-inch Pipe Mill in Hartlepool, said: “You never think this type of thing will happen to your own children.

“We have had our ups and downs but at the moment, we really take each day at a time.

“Daisy is very brave and we’re all so proud of how she is handling this.”

CLIC Sargent is a charity that helps families limit the damage cancer causes beyond their health.

From diagnosis, the charity’s specialist care teams step in to provide a package of support tailored to each young cancer patient and their family, which has offered some comfort to the Sayers family during what has been a difficult few months.

To show his appreciation for the help they have received, Christopher made the decision to sign up to the half marathon and fundraise to support the charity’s work locally and nationally.

Christopher, who ran the Sunderland City 10K in 2016, added: “I’m doing the Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon to give something back to a fantastic charity which has been so helpful during these early days of treatment.

“I’m aiming to raise as much as possible for CLIC Sargent and hope people will get behind me and offer their support.”

The Run Sunderland Festival 2018 is being organised by Events of the North, in partnership with Sunderland City Council and Active Sunderland.

Featuring the Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon and 10K, it will take place on Sunday, May 13.

Siglion, the development partnership which is carrying out major regeneration projects on the Vaux site and at other locations in the city, is once again sponsoring both races.

The races will start and finish in the city’s Keel Square.

Both the half marathon and 10K races have grown in popularity in recent years, with athletes from all over the North East, and further afield, taking part.

To support Christopher in his fundraising visit www.justgiving.com/chrissayers78?utm_id=26.

For further information or to sign up to the Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon or 10K visit www.sunderlandcity10k.com, email [email protected], follow @Sunderland10K on Twitter or @SunderlandCityRun on Facebook.