Latest news with #Abbie'sArmy
Powys County Times
18-05-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Herefordshire man raises £6k for children's charity
A Knighton marketing manager has raised more than £6,000 for a children's charity. Chris Butler, who works for Radnor Hills, completed a 177-mile walk along Offa's Dyke in six days. The father of one took on the challenge to raise money for Abbie's Army, a charity that funds medical research into DIPG, a children's brain cancer. The 35-year-old, who lives in Herefordshire, said: "It was an incredible journey, and I'm delighted to have smashed my fundraising target. "I'd like to thank everyone who donated and supported me, including my best mate Michael Cresswell who took time out to tackle a huge chunk of the walk. "Special thanks also go to my dad, Paul, who followed me all the way down the trail keeping me topped up with supplies and kept me going in the heatwave, and to my wife Holly and our son, Arthur, who inspired me to take on this challenge and who have kept my head in the game throughout. "Abbie's Army is a remarkable charity dedicated to funding vital research into this devastating disease and offering support to families facing this life-altering challenge." Abbie Mifsud was just six years old when she died of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an inoperable and incurable cancer in her brainstem. DIPG is a highly aggressive form of cancer with no effective treatment currently available. It almost exclusively affects children under the age of eleven. Abbie died in 2011, just five months after being diagnosed. Mr Butler added: "As the dad of a three-year-old, I can't even begin to imagine what families living with DIPG are going through and I just knew I had to do something to help.
Powys County Times
25-04-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Powys worker raises £2,600 for children's brain cancer fund
A marketing manager is training for a 177-mile charity walk. Chris Butler, who works for Radnor Hills, is preparing to walk the length of Offa's Dyke over the course of six days. The award-winning Powys-based soft drinks producer employee is hoping to raise money for Abbie's Army, a brain cancer charity which funds medical research to give hope to families. Abbie Mifsud was only six years old when she died from diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), an inoperable and incurable cancer in the brainstem. DIPG is a highly aggressive form of cancer that primarily affects children under the age of 11 and currently has no effective treatment options. Abbie passed away in 2011, just five months after being diagnosed. Mr Butler,35, will set off from Prestatyn on the North Wales coast on Tuesday, April 29, and is expecting to arrive in the south at Sedbury Cliffs on the Severn Estuary on Sunday. He said, "The average survival time from diagnosis for a child with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma remains staggeringly low at just 9-12 months, and heartbreaking,gly families are forced to watch as their child loses their vital functions and abilities before their eyes. "Abbie's Army is an amazing charity that raises funds to support crucial research into this cruel disease and supports families going through this horrific, life-changing ordeal. "I'm a lucky father to my three-year-old son Arthur, and I've been following the stories of families affected by DIPG for a while. "I can't imagine the suffering such young children that are affected have to go through and the distress this causes their loved ones. "Inspired by the stories on @abbies_army's page, I decided to take on this challenge to raise money. "I've been training for it since November with lots of 28 mile plus walks in mid Wales." Mr Butler has already raised more than £2,600 for the charity.
