Boy, 3, to walk 3km for dad with cancer
Kip Martin is taking part in Stars Appeal's Walk for Wards
A three-year-old boy is to walk 3km in Salisbury after his dad was diagnosed with cancer.
Kip Martin, his parents Simon and Rosie, and his little sister, Pandora, are among the over 1,800 people signed up to be part of Stars Appeal's Walk for Wards next month.
It will be their first time taking part in the event, which raises money for Salisbury District Hospital, where Martin is being treated for bowel cancer.
“Kip’s been absolutely amazing while I’ve been undergoing my treatment. He is really excited about doing Walk for Wards and wants to help people in hospital," Simon said.
Kip said: “I wanted to run a marathon to raise some money for the hospital but it’s too long for my little legs. So I am walking 3km.”
Simon, 40, was diagnosed with cancer for a second time earlier this year, having had Hodgkin Lymphoma in his 20s. He'd been getting progressively sicker and had lost a significant amount of weight.
He described his diagnosis as a relief, as it explained the illness he was experiencing.
During his treatment, he's been supported by various services provided thanks to funding from the Stars Appeal, including the hospitals chaplains.
Simon said: "I can’t emphasise enough how impactful the conversation with the chaplain was in helping me get to grips with what I was facing. My wife was with me and we were in tears, the worst thing had happened, but the chaplain’s visit was transformative. From that moment, we have been really positive about what’s been happening.
“Having the aromatherapy massages from the Stars Appeal aromatherapist takes the sting out of having my immunotherapy treatment. It makes a horrible experience much more bearable. It’s also those human conversations that help take your mind off what you’re going through.”
Thanks to the free Wi-Fi provided around the site, he was able to relax by watching films and tv programmes during his three weeks in the hospital, as well as call family, saying it helped reduce the feeling of isolation.
“I’m just in awe of Salisbury Hospital and the Stars Appeal. What makes the hospital so special is all the extras that the Stars Appeal offers, which make a massive difference to people like me. Thank you to everyone who supports the Stars Appeal.”
To support Kip’s fundraising visit https://salisburydistricthospitalstarsappeal.enthuse.com/pf/simon-m
Spaces remain available in Walk for Wards which takes place on Sunday 5th July.