Incredible tale of how Buckingham six-year-old raised more than £3,000 for hospital which is due to treat her brain tumour in September

A mum from Buckingham has spoken of her pride after her young son ran 10km around one of the town's parks on Tuesday July 25 to raise money for the hospital that diagnosed her with a brain tumour.
Finley Shudell, from Buckingham, ran a 10k to raise funds for The John Radcliffe Hospital after his mum, Emma Shudell was diagnosed with a brain tumour. From the left, Harry Palmer and Rowan Houston, Finley's friends who also ran, Finlay Shudell and Emma Shudell.Finley Shudell, from Buckingham, ran a 10k to raise funds for The John Radcliffe Hospital after his mum, Emma Shudell was diagnosed with a brain tumour. From the left, Harry Palmer and Rowan Houston, Finley's friends who also ran, Finlay Shudell and Emma Shudell.
Finley Shudell, from Buckingham, ran a 10k to raise funds for The John Radcliffe Hospital after his mum, Emma Shudell was diagnosed with a brain tumour. From the left, Harry Palmer and Rowan Houston, Finley's friends who also ran, Finlay Shudell and Emma Shudell.

Emma Shudell says it has been ‘incredible’ how in two weeks six-year-old Finley went from having the fundraising idea to completing the charity challenge.

In the process, Finley and some of his schoolfriends have raised more than £3,000 for the Neuro ITU ward at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital.

Emma was diagnosed in April and said: “It all started because I was having a bad migraine so I called the 111 number.

Finley Shudell, from Buckingham, ran a 10k to raise funds for The John Radcliffe Hospital after his mum, Emma Shudell was diagnosed with a brain tumour.Finley Shudell, from Buckingham, ran a 10k to raise funds for The John Radcliffe Hospital after his mum, Emma Shudell was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Finley Shudell, from Buckingham, ran a 10k to raise funds for The John Radcliffe Hospital after his mum, Emma Shudell was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

“This wasn’t the first time I had a migraine and this was a particularly bad one and I noticed my speech was slowing down.

“They sent an ambulance out and I ended up at Milton Keynes Hospital.

“I was sent for a CT scan and they thought I had a stroke, so then I was sent for an MRI scan.

“After the scan results had come back a consultant sat me down and said it was not a stroke and I was referred to the John Radcliffe Hospital’s neuro department.

Finley Shudell, from Buckingham, ran a 10k to raise funds for The John Radcliffe Hospital after his mum, Emma Shudell was diagnosed with a brain tumour.Finley Shudell, from Buckingham, ran a 10k to raise funds for The John Radcliffe Hospital after his mum, Emma Shudell was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Finley Shudell, from Buckingham, ran a 10k to raise funds for The John Radcliffe Hospital after his mum, Emma Shudell was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

“Two weeks later I got a call from the JR and they said it was a low-grade brain tumour.

“They told me that it could grow if it wasn’t operated on so I agreed to have surgery.”

Emma described the news as ‘a huge shock’ given that the family had experienced a similar illness 18 months previously, when Emma’s husband’s mother had been diagnosed with a more serious form of the condition.

She said: “I think the previous family experience made telling Finley a bit easier and he understood it a bit more.

“He told me everything would be OK.”

Finley, who goes to Bourton Meadow School, came home one day and announced that he and some friends wanted to do a run to raise money for the hospital that helped his mum.

Emma said: “I asked the school if they could do that and they said we would have to wait for the new school term.

“I wanted to do it while he had the enthusiasm so we decided to do it in the park instead.”

Finley, together with his school friends Harry and Rowan, completed 43 laps of Bourton Park on Tuesday July 25 (around 10km).

The JustGiving page they set up has raised more than £3,000, including Gift Aid.

To make the day extra special the boys were presented with medals by Buckingham mayor Jon Harvey, with these having been donated free of charge by Seahawk Trophies of Buckingham, when they heard about the story behind the run.

Emma said: “It has been incredible the way they have made something positive out of a difficult situation.

“Finley is always helping when he can.

“The boys have been friends since nursery and what they have done is lovely.”

Emma is hopeful of having surgery on the tumour in September.