A mother and son who were supported by Momentum sit together.

Sandy and her family were supported by the charity when her son, Manav, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in 2019. Manav received treatment at St. Peter’s and at The Royal Marsden hospitals, where they were introduced to a Momentum.

Sandy said: “Our Family Support Worker from Momentum was amazing – he got through to our son in a way that no one else could. When he was sent to Christies Hospital in Manchester for treatment, Momentum kindly arranged for Manav to watch a Manchester United Match. Thankfully Manav made a full recovery and was clear of cancer at the beginning of 2020. I knew that I wanted to give something back to Momentum, and that was when I started fundraising. I took on the 100-mile challenge during Covid, and organised a quiz night, raising £1,500. Since then, I have volunteered at different events and have collected Easter eggs which were donated to Momentum families. Supporting Momentum is our way of saying thanks.”

Talking about her son, Manav, Sandy said: “Manav is now 19 years old and has just finished his first year at Manchester Met University, where he is studying film and media. He is just like any other teenage boy, and he has just been to see Bruno Mars at Wembley Stadium.”

Touching on her Move for Momentum challenge, Sandy said: “During the Covid pandemic I completed a 100-mile challenge for Momentum, and I knew I wanted to do something to test myself a bit more. When I heard about Move for Momentum, I thought it was something I could do. I absolutely love walking, so I plan to both incorporate the challenge into my daily walks and do more challenging treks of around eight miles. I have set myself a £1,500 fundraising target which I hope to achieve through sharing my page with friends, family, and my colleagues at Aromatherapy Associates.

Friends and family are going to join me for the challenge, and I will make sure I walk every day in September. I genuinely love walking, especially first thing in the morning – I find it calming when the roads are empty and it is quiet, it sets me up for the day. Knowing that I am doing this for Momentum is going to give each of my walks in September so much more purpose.”

Now in its second year, Move for Momentum encourages people of all ages to get active throughout Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September to raise money so we can continue to be there for families.

Please help Sandy reach her £1,500 fundraising target my sponsoring her here

If you fancy taking part in Move for Momentum, you can download a free fundraising pack which includes fundraising ideas, planning tips, step-by-step guidance on creating a fundraising page and advice on spreading the word. Find out more