Broadbridge Heath boy’s mountain climb for charity

10 year old Edward Gordon-Thomson is climbing Ben Nevis for charity to raise money for cancer research after being diagnosed with the disease when he was young. Pic Steve Robards SUS-150418-215119001

Edward Gordon-Thomson will be jetting off with his family to Scotland on May 30 to climb Ben Nevis to raise thousands of pounds for a cause very close to him .

The ten-year-old will be completing the climb to raise money for charity Children With Cancer whom he has had a very close connection with for most of his life.

Ed was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when he was two-and-a-half-years-old and has been in and out of hospital for the past seven years.

Ed said he was determined to raise money for the charity.

He said: “I am doing it because I used to have cancer and Children With Cancer helped me or helped us so much that I thought I need to return the favour and raise as much money as I can by climbing Ben Nevis.

“I came home from school and I said mummy I am climbing Ben Nevis and she said ‘you are climbing Ben Nevis I think you mean we are climbing Ben Nevis.’

“I am excited because I get to go to Scotland and I am very excited about the climb.”

Ed’s mum Genevieve added: “Ed decided he would like to do something to raise money and as Ed does he decided to pick something quite challenging.

“For Ed it is even more of a challenge as he has only been walking since he was seven.

“But it is not just about the money it is about raising awareness for a charity that is so small compared to others,” she explained.

The original plan was for Ed to complete the climb with his mother, father and grandmother.

However this has changed - more than slightly.

Genevieve said: “I think there are 74 of us going.

“Ed has got a couple of friends from school coming and their parents. A couple of friends of friends are also coming. We are staggered by the amount of people who want to join in.”

She added actresses Linda Robson and Nadia Sawalha along with presenter Nigel Marven were also planning on joining the climb.

All the money raised will be going to Chimeric Antigen Receptor a project funded by Children With Cancer which helps children who relapse and become resistant to some of the strongest cancer treatment.

Ed’s target was to raise £10,000 but with a month to go that has already been smashed so it has doubled to £20,000.

To donate visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayCharityCampaignPage.action?charityCampaignUrl=ClimbwithEd