A SEVEN-year-old Worcester boy is running more than a marathon this month in memory of the uncle he lost to pancreatic cancer.

Oliver Exall, a pupil at Northwick Manor Primary School, has run a mile every day throughout July with dad Gavin to raise funds for Cancer Research UK following the sudden death of uncle Anthony Watton in September 2020. He was aged just 63.

Mum Victoria Exall revealed Oliver had smashed his initial £150 target, exceeding £600 with the tally growing and mammoth effort continuing – even three-year-old sister Isabelle has joined in on her scooter.

"We are all so proud," said Mrs Exall.

"The illness was quite short and the death hit everyone hard, particularly Oliver because he thought a lot of his Uncle Anthony. They were very close.

"He has always enjoyed running and he did a healthy living module at school. He went out running with his dad a few times who came up with this challenge for him to do.

"They came up with this plan to raise funds together and Oliver has not faltered once, even through the heatwave we were up and out at 7 o'clock in the morning to do it. There is no stopping him.

"We want to raise as much money as possible but also awareness. The one thing we have all discovered is that pancreatic cancer is one of the worst.

"It was shocking how late the diagnosis was, he didn't realise it was what he had because the symptoms are not the sort that you would bother a doctor with.

"The tell-tale signs were there but it is so hard to get diagnosed and by that time it was far too late.

"Tragically, it was a matter of weeks and it was just so awful for everyone involved so the more awareness we can raise the better.

"Even Oliver has said he just wants to help people to try to get through that kind of sickness and he would run another 31 miles to do it.

"I think he will keep up the running, it is a big thing for him and he wants to raise as much money as he can. My husband is talking about taking him to do some park runs."

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