Father takes on 129-mile charity walk for Young Lives vs Cancer in support of his son

This May bank holiday weekend (2-5 May) Andrew Green from Milton Keynes, is set to embark on an extraordinary 129-mile charity walk to raise funds for Young Lives vs Cancer, the charity that provided vital support to his family when his 7-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer in March 2022. Andrew’s monumental journey will begin at MK Dons Stadium and finish at Tottenham Hotspur Football Ground, North London where he hopes to finish the walk surrounded by supporters and friends who have backed his incredible effort. Andrew will be stopping at all Premier League, EFL and National League Football Grounds along the way.

Alexander was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma and underwent a series of 9 rounds of chemotherapy, 23 sessions of radiotherapy and a surgical procedure. He sadly relapsed in May 2024 and had to undergo more intensive chemotherapy and additional surgery at the end of last year. Alexander is currently doing well and receiving maintenance chemotherapy.

Alexander's courageous battle with cancer has been a heart-wrenching journey for the family, but throughout this challenging time, Young Lives vs Cancer has been a guiding light and support. From offering financial assistance to providing emotional guidance, the charity has been integral to helping the family cope with the emotional and financial toll of the diagnosis.

Andrew has gone on to say why he has taken on this challenge, “I want to give something back to this fantastic charity. The common bond myself and Alexander have as father and Son is football so it was only right to do this. It means more to start the challenge in MK as it is Alexander’s place of birth and to end the challenge at the club that mean more to us than anything. Tottenham is our club so to end the challenge there was only fitting”.

Andrew's walk is a heartfelt tribute to the charity's unwavering commitment to families like his and a way to give back for the help they received during a difficult period. Right from the start of treatment Andrew was offered support from Young Lives vs Cancer specialised social workers, at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxfordshire, this is what Andrew had to say

“We were thankful for the support the charity offered us from all the team as they made things a lot easier to deal with, there was always somebody to offer reassurance to us as a family”.

This is Andrew’s way of showing his gratitude while raising awareness and funds to help the charity to support more families who find themselves in the same situation. Andrew goes on to say,

“The support we received from Sarah our social worker was that she was able to help us with what we were entitled to as a family and was a reassuring figure. If we had any issues with the doctors Sarah was able to speak to the relevant people on our behalf”.

Andrew’s challenge will take him through numerous football grounds, symbolizing the strength and unity of communities coming together to fight childhood cancer. Along the way, he hopes to raise awareness for the incredible work done by Young Lives vs Cancer and to encourage others to donate to support the cause.

Supporters can track Andrew’s progress and donate via his fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/andrewsfundraiserforyounglivesvscancer