Grateful Dad Goes The Extra Mile For Our Hospital After Toddler’s Life-Saving Cancer Care

A grateful dad has taken on one of the world’s most brutal endurance challenges and raised over £13,000 for our charity as his way of saying thank you to the doctors who treated his little girl’s life-threatening brain cancer. 

George Gibson, from Cannock, took on the gruelling Montane Spine race, running 268 miles across the Pennine Way in five-and-a-half-days to raise money for our hospital’s cancer ward.  

Harper Gibson was only two years old when, after a routine eye test, the optometrist found signs of something much more serious. The little girl was rushed to our  Children’s Hospital, and shortly afterwards, doctors broke the devastating news to her parents, George and Laura, that their little girl had a brain tumour, which would require emergency surgery. 

Harper’s parents were utterly crushed by the news, and it was an incredibly dark moment for her whole family. But despite their fears, they really appreciated the support of the hospital’s expert clinicians, who were there to guide them through Harper’s treatment journey. 

A few days after her diagnosis, Harper underwent a seven-hour operation to save her life and remove the cancerous tumour. Thankfully, the surgery was a success, but the little girl still needed further treatment, and Harper received intensive chemotherapy at our hospital’s specialist cancer centre, spending a further eight months living at the hospital.  

It was an extremely anxious time for Harper and her family, and her parents were deeply moved by the care and compassion offered by staff, who they felt were truly there for them when they needed it most.  

Thankfully, Harper was able to finish her treatment earlier this year, celebrating the moment by ringing the symbolic end-of-treatment bell. She continues to do incredibly well, and her family feels so proud of her. 

Driven by gratitude and a desire to give back to the hospital that had done so much for his daughter, George decided to push himself to the absolute limit. He trained hard, sharing videos of his fundraising journey on social media and encouraging everyone he knew to support our Children’s Hospital. 

George was bowled over by the response, with friends, family and local businesses digging deep and raising an incredible £13,000-plus for the hospital’s cancer ward. Fuelled by this outpouring of compassion, George powered through his brutal ultra-marathon.  

The race was non-stop with no official breaks, meaning George ran with all his gear, grabbing sleep where he could. Despite the immense physical challenges, he kept on pushing and was greeted with cheers by Harper and the rest of the family at the finish line. 

George said: “There aren’t really words strong enough to describe what the consultants, doctors, nurses and support staff have done for us, especially Dr Bailey and ANP Ms Neumann. They were the calm in the chaos. The people who sat with us on the hardest nights and somehow made the unbearable feel manageable. 

“This challenge was my way of saying thank you. The race was unbelievably tough, but if you can put a smile on a patient’s face and help them feel like a child again, it’s all worth it.” 

Annie Eytle, Head of Public Fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Harper and her family have been through the unthinkable, and we’re so grateful to George for clocking up the miles and taking on this extreme challenge. 

“The jaw-dropping £13,000 he’s raised will make the world of difference to our oncology ward, helping us to support patients and their families during some of the toughest times.”