An intrepid fundraiser from Sutton Coldfield is preparing to scale the Three Peaks whilst carrying his paraplegic son – as a way of giving back to the charity that helped them.
This weekend (June 27th/28th) Pete Haslam will be working as a team with fifteen friends and family members to bring 11-year-old Ted along for the trip – a 23-mile trek across the three mountains, in England, Scotland Wales!
The youngster was left paralysed at the age of three, after being diagnosed with Stage 4 Burkitt’s Lymphoma, an aggressive form of spinal tumour.
Pete said: “His back was hurting but he was only young and couldn’t articulate what the problem was – but on this particular morning, his legs just stopped working. Turns out the tumour was doubling in size every 24 hours.”
Ted was rushed into six hours of surgery at Birmingham Children’s Hospital on the same day but the family were warned that compression on the spinal cord is irreversible and his level of function at the time would likely not improve.
Today, Ted stays as active as possible, including undergoing weekly play-centred physio and mobility sessions.
But Pete says he’s always been determined to involve his son in the fundraising challenges which will this time, see them ascend a total of more than 10,000 metres across the course of the weekend.
Four teams of four, on rotation, will carry and push Ted in his wheelchair, over Snowdon, Scalfell Pike and Ben Nevis in a gruelling charity mission that’s expected to take up to 30 hours to complete.
It’s all in aid of Warwick-based children’s charity Molly Ollys, which donated soft play equipment to Ted halfway through his intensive treatment programme.
Although not the first, it is certainly the toughest fundraising feat Pete has undertaken for the charity.
He said: “It was amazing what they did for Ted. When you go through all that as a parent, the last thing you’re thinking about is shall we go out and buy something special for him? It’s great that the charity is there to offer that because we were too busy day-to-day thinking about treatment and the odd bits of respite that we could get.
“We have all met Rachel and the team at Molly Ollys and you can’t help but fall in love with what they do. I’ve got involved in so many fundraising events since I met them.”
As one of the oldest in the group at 53, Pete admits he’s grateful for the support he’ll be getting from the rest of the team, which includes an ex-Royal Marine, ex-Fire Service and ex-policeman.
“We did the Snowdon Push for the last three years in aid of a charity called Back up. Last year we did Ben Nevis with Ted and he loved it. This year we said we’re going to do the Three Peaks before he gets too heavy,” he said.
“I am not really nervous but am looking closely at the weather because if Ted gets wet it could be a game-changer.”
Pete added: “I’ve always loved mountaineering and started taking my older son Harry with me from when he was eight years old. He is now 18. The natural progression was to take Ted and we don’t see the wheelchair as being an obstacle. We want to let him do things that everyone else can do. Ted is looking forward to it. He also loves the camaraderie of all the guys.
“The word stoical springs to mind when I think about Ted. All the way through his life he’s not really been a whinger, he just gets on with it. This challenge is about more than mountains. It’s about showing what’s possible. It’s about pushing limits, inspiring others, and making a difference.”
Molly Ollys was established in 2011 by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw, from Warwick, following the death of their eight-year-old daughter Molly from a rare kidney cancer.
The charity works to support children with terminal or life-limiting illnesses and their families and help with their emotional wellbeing. As well as providing wishes, they donate therapeutic toys and books to both children directly and to hospitals throughout the UK.
The therapeutic toy lion called Olly The Brave has his own Hickman line and a detachable mane which helps to explain and normalise the effects of chemotherapy. These form part of an Olly The Brave pack that has now been handed out to more than 70 hospitals or health centres, along with a set of books from the charity’s exclusive Olly The Brave series.
Rachel said: “Ted is such an inspiration. He is a courageous and determined lad who is willing to do any challenge that is put in front of him. Just like he’s done with his two Snowdon challenges, he’ll have ample support from Dad Pete and plenty more family and friends as they tackle the Three Peaks.
“Molly Ollys is so grateful for their continued support as the funds raised over the years have helped us provide numerous wishes for children around the UK dealing with challenging times due to having life-threatening illnesses. Everyone associated with Molly Ollys wishes Ted, Pete and the crew all the very best.”
To donate to Pete’s fundraising page visit HERE.
Find out more about Molly Ollys at: For more information about Molly Ollys or to donate visit HERE.
