Joshua was treated at Great Ormond Street for rhabdomyosarcoma at three. On 10 October he runs Race for the Kids again, with his mum and his school friends.
A seven-year-old from Harlow who was treated for a rare cancer at Great Ormond Street Hospital is running for the hospital’s charity again next month. This time his friends are running with him.
Joshua will join his mum, Mariko, at RBC Race for the Kids 2026 in Hyde Park on 10 October. The money goes to GOSH Charity’s appeal to build a new Children’s Cancer Centre at the hospital.
He was three when he was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma. His mum describes it as “a rare type of cancer that develops in the body’s soft tissues”. Joshua rang the end of treatment bell in February 2023.
Mariko, Joshua’s mum, shares more about their GOSH experience and why they take part in RBC Race for the Kids.
“At first, we thought he may have conjunctivitis”
It began with Joshua rubbing his eye. Mariko said:
“It was the weekend of the Queen’s Jubilee, and Joshua started to rub his eye. At first, we thought he may have conjunctivitis. We got some eye drops from the chemist because it was a bank holiday and there were no doctors open. It wasn’t getting better after a couple of weeks, and we were referred to a specialist before going to Moorfields Eye Hospital. By this time, a growth had started to grow on Joshua’s eye.”
“Originally, it was just thought to be a reaction, they took a biopsy and then Joshua had to have surgery to remove the growth. Two days later the specialist rang us back and said they were referring us to GOSH, as the biopsy showed that the growth was cancerous. We were seen within a few days at GOSH and that’s when we were told that Joshua had rhabdomyosarcoma.”
His treatment started straight away:
- three different types of chemotherapy, with a return to GOSH every three weeks
- proton beam therapy at University College London Hospital
“8 months later, Joshua rang the end of treatment bell in February 2023 and has been going from strength to strength ever since. Every day I appreciate how Joshua can have a normal life and, having been through it ourselves, I know how important it is to have not only the best care and treatment, but also have somewhere that you can feel safe and comfortable, and where children can still just be children.”
“We were just going to GOSH”
The family had spent weeks not knowing what was wrong. Mariko said arriving at the hospital changed that:
“When we first arrived at GOSH, we met so many nurses and specialists. We spent weeks not knowing what was going to happen but once we got to GOSH, it was so clear they knew what they were doing and we were in the best possible hands.”
“Everyone was so reassuring, and our clinical nurse specialist really knew what we needed to hear. Everything felt so overwhelming at the time, but the staff always made sure we understood what was happening and kept us informed, which made things a little easier.”
She singled out the hospital’s Play team, which GOSH Charity funds:
“Joshua got to pick different types of activities and games he wanted to play. He was only three when he was diagnosed so just having someone there who could play with him made a huge difference. It also meant that I could have some time by myself, and knowing he was in good hands, it was a weight off my shoulders.”
“I think that’s why when we had to visit GOSH, whether that be as an inpatient for chemotherapy or to have bloods drawn, it never felt like we were going to a hospital. We were just going to GOSH. Even after Joshua rang the end of treatment bell, he just sees GOSH as a trip somewhere fun! He doesn’t worry about going in there.”
Joshua: “I know what it’s like to be there”
Mariko says Joshua has taken part in Race for the Kids for the past four years. This year his friends are joining him. We asked Joshua what he thinks of it:
“I really like doing RBC Race for the Kids because it’s so much fun, but this year is extra special because my friends are joining me too. It’s really cool that we can all do the race together and help other children at GOSH at the same time. I know what it’s like to be there, so it makes me really happy seeing all my friends and so many other people coming together to help.”
For his mum, the race is a way of saying thank you:
“Raising money for GOSH Charity is our chance to show how much we appreciate everything they’ve done for us. The hospital helped us through so much and we will forever be grateful for the care we received.”
“We’ve always said that we would do whatever we could to help GOSH and the charities that supported Joshua. Taking part in Race for the Kids feels really special to me as a mum. We’ve been really proud to support GOSH and do our bit to help raise money for such an important cause, alongside so many other families and supporters.”
What the money is for
Race for the Kids is GOSH Charity’s flagship fundraising event. This year it raises money for the charity’s “Build it. Beat it.” appeal. The charity says:
- the money will help build a new Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital
- GOSH already treats more children with cancer than any other hospital in the UK
- the hospital’s advances have outgrown its current facilities
- the new centre will be designed around the needs of children and families
What it means for you
Anyone in Harlow can take part, either in Hyde Park or from home.
- When: Saturday 10 October
- Where: Hyde Park, or wherever you are with RBC Race for the Kids at Home
- Distance: 5km or 2km, and you can walk, jog, wheel or scoot
- At home: choose a distance to run in your local area on 10 October
- Sign up: race.gosh.org
If your Harlow family, school or club is running too, tell us at hello@harlowonline.co.uk.
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