‘Incredible’ Izzy runs 3k for Acorns after leukaemia battle

29th October 2026

After years of treatment, Izzy, 11, took on a 3km junior run to thank the charity that helped her family through the hardest times.

An 11-year-old Worcester girl, who has spent most of her life undergoing treatment for leukaemia, has taken on the Worcester City Runs 3km Junior race with her family to raise money for a charity that helped them through their journey.

Nine out of 11 years of Izzy’s life have been spent in and out of medical care, battling three relapses, extensive hospital stays and exhaustive treatment regimes.

'Incredible' - Izzy (Photo by David Fletcher)

Why her dad is so proud

Izzy spent her second birthday in hospital, after being diagnosed with Leukaemia in 2017. She then went on to undergo years of intensive treatment, including chemotherapy, CAR T-cell treatment and a stem cell transplant.

But now, Izzy has taken to the streets with family in tow, running various distances, raising over £1,000 for Acorns Children’s Hospice, a local charity with a hospice in Worcester.

Recovering well, Izzy is starting secondary school, enjoying an active social life with friends and joining her local Girlguiding group on all kinds of fun and adventure.

Her dad, Dave, is proud of how she has dealt with her extensive hospitals stays and difficult treatment regimens: “Izzy is so incredible. Seeing her take on this challenge has just shown us how much she’s fought and overcome.

“She has spent most of her years going through some sort of cancer treatment. We’re just over a year out of it now and she is excelling at everything she does. Seeing her out on the course, running with the family, it’s so amazing.

“We’re grateful to all the charities that have supported us along this incredibly difficult journey and the fellow children we have met receiving treatment.”

An incredibly difficult journey

Acorns was one of those charities, providing support for the whole family, including sibling support, social and family events, days out and practical help during a hugely difficult time.

For Izzy’s family, the fundraising is a chance to say thank you to the people and organisations that helped them through the toughest moments of their journey, while giving something back to help other families facing similarly difficult circumstances.

Dave added: “Acorns help made the bad times less bad. Not just the help they gave Izzy, but all the support for us as parents and Izzy’s siblings, Sophie and Freddie. We had so many days out and social events that just gave us time to be a family together.

“We wanted to give back to Acorns because we know that they are there whenever we need them. Just in case things don’t turn out the way they have.”

Acorns Children’s Hospice provides specialist palliative care for babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and support for their families.

In the past year, Acorns cared for more than 800 children across the West Midlands and supported more than 1,100 families, including those who are bereaved. This care and support is provided from Acorns three hospices in Birmingham, Walsall and Worcester, as well as in family homes and local communities.

‘We wanted to give back to Acorns’

When a child’s life is short, time changes. Acorns Time Machine is the charity’s £5 million fundraising campaign to help give seriously-ill children more time to be kids. Powered by donations, it helps families make the most of the time they have together – because while more time can’t be added to a child’s life, more childhood can be added to the time they have.

Acorns needs around £40,000 every day to provide its children’s hospice care, with more than 75% of that amount funded through the generosity of supporters.

If you’ve been inspired by Izzy’s story, why not take on the 2027 Worcester City Run for Acorns? The charity offers a range of guidance and support for all fundraisers – visit www.acorns.org.uk/events