Ambassador Kim Ismay, Sarah Woods from Momentum and Monica Harding MP dancing at the 24-hour Danceathon

Momentum Children’s Charity CEO Sarah Woods danced non-stop for 24 hours as she took on one of her biggest fundraising challenges yet for Move for Momentum.

Starting at 10:00 on Friday 18 September, Sarah was on the dance floor until 10:00 on Saturday 19 September in an exhausting effort which has raised more than £2,500 for Momentum during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The 24-hour Danceathon took place at Colets Health and Fitness in Thames Ditton, Surrey.  During the challenge, Sarah was joined by a fantastic line-up of well-known faces, including Monica Harding, MP for Esher and Walton, Momentum Ambassador and West End star Kim Ismay, former British Olympic alpine skier Chemmy Alcott,guest DJs, family and friends, all helping to keep her energy levels high and feet moving.

As part of the challenge, Sarah took part in a number of fitness classes at Colets, including Aqua Fit, Dance Fit, Yoga, Barre, Zumba, Konga and a special children’s disco.

On completing her 24-hour Danceathon, Sarah Woods, CEO at Momentum Children’s Charity said: “It was an incredible, exhausting, emotional and unforgettable experience – but it was never just about me. It was about the amazing team around me, the people who kept me going through every high and low, and everyone who donated and supported us.”

Sarah continued: “From kicking things off with ‘Staying Alive’ alongside MP Monica Harding and our Ambassador Kim Ismay, to playing pickleball at 3am to beat the nausea, dancing at a family disco with our mascot Mo the owl, local DJs showing their support, and even dying my hair green – there were so many unforgettable moments. Raising over £2,500 made every moment worthwhile, especially knowing that this amount of money could support a family experiencing childhood cancer for an entire year.”

Monica Harding, MP for Esher and Walton said: “It was an honour to take part in Sarah’s 24-hour Danceathon and see our community come together for Momentum. This exceptional local charity provides vital support to children and families facing cancer and other serious illnesses. Every donation makes a real difference, so please consider organising your own fundraiser or supporting Momentum’s incredible work.”

Kim Ismay, West End star and Ambassador for Momentum said: “The 24-hour Danceathon was an extraordinary challenge for Sarah to take on and I’m amazed at her courage and determination – I certainly couldn’t have done it! It was a joy to be there to sing a medley of songs at the launch and to MC her out at the finale.”

Kim added: “I’ve been involved with Momentum since the very beginning, 22 years ago, and it’s a charity that’s incredibly close to my heart. Momentum helps families in so many ways – from big, exciting projects and experiences to the quieter, constant and often unsung support that makes such a difference. I know that finding any spare money for anything is incredibly difficult now, but if everyone who knows about Momentum could give just £1, those small donations can make an enormous difference. Together, we really can make a difference to families when they need it most.”

Momentum Children’s Charity provides practical and emotional support to families across Surrey, London and Sussex whose child has cancer, helping them through one of the most challenging times in their lives. Now in its second year, Move for Momentum encourages people of all ages to get active throughout September to raise money so Momentum can continue to be there for families.

It’s not too late to take part in Move for Momentum. Download a free fundraising pack from the charity’s website for everything needed to get started, including fundraising ideas, planning tips, step-by-step guidance on creating a fundraising page and advice on spreading the word to maximise support.

There is still time to sponsor Sarah for her 24-hour Danceathon for Momentum here

To find out more about the work of Momentum Children’s Charity please visit www.momentumcharity.org

Notes to Editors:

Momentum Children’s Charity supports families across London, Surrey and Sussex whose children are facing cancer or a life-challenging condition. We partner with local hospitals to offer personally tailored support to care for the emotional and mental wellbeing of every single family member, through our family support workers. Our services include counselling, creative therapies, special experiences, and respite breaks. If the unthinkable happens, and a child dies, we offer specialist bereavement support through our Momentum Echoes service. The charity receives no government funding and is reliant entirely on voluntary support. 

Founded in 2004, Momentum Children’s Charity was started when Bianca Effemey OBE was working as a receptionist on the Paediatrics Ward at Kingston Hospital. Side effects of chemotherapy treatment can be very painful, and she became aware of the impact they were having on young cancer patients. It became her mission to get white goods donated to the hospital which could be kept full of refreshments, providing some relief to children suffering with mouth ulcers caused by chemotherapy. Momentum has grown from a very small charity to now supporting over 2,800 individuals across 726 families in 2025/26. This includes 506 families with children in active treatment and 220 bereaved families.

If you are interested in learning more about the work Momentum does, seeing the roles they are currently recruiting for or would like to get involved by attending an event, volunteering or making a donation please visit www.momentumcharity.org

www.momentumcharity.org Registered charity number: 1195373

For more information about Momentum and future press opportunities, please contact:  Claire Smith, PR and Communications Officer: clairesmith@momentumcharity.org  /  0208 974 5931