WIDNES teens ran from their high school to Anfield stadium in memory of their best friend who sadly lost his battle with brain cancer this year.
Fourteen-year-old Bobby Spencer was given the shocking diagnosis last year after he had been experiencing headaches and fell ill in August.
The Wade Deacon High School pupil and junior cricket player went through intensive chemotherapy and stem cell treatment but ‘just couldn’t beat it’ and his heartbroken family and friends said goodbye to him on June 26 this year.
Five of Bobby’s closest school friends organised an event to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity in honour of him – running the 10-mile route from Wade Deacon High to the iconic Liverpool football grounds of the club that Bobby had supported most of his life.
Involved in the charity run which took place on September 2 was, Ashton Houlihan, Will Argent, Ben Barraclough, Sean Forrest and Ryan Griffin.
Each proudly wore a T-shirt with a smiling picture of their friend printed on the front alongside the words ‘for you Bobby’.
Father of runner Will, Paul Argent, detailed the events of the special day.
“The boys met at Wade Deacon High School in Widnes and after being interviewed by Granada Reports, they began their journey just after 10am and arrived at the first checkpoint in Netherley soon after,” he said.
“The second checkpoint was in Belle Vale and the boys arrived around 45 minutes ahead of their expected arrival time.”
Several members from Widnes running club volunteered their time to help plan the route and offered to run with the boys.
The third checkpoint was Alder Hey Hospital where Bobbys dad Ian joined the boys for the final leg of the emotional run.
Large crowds gathered at the gates of Anfield stadium to welcome the boys.
Explaining how the event came about, Paul said: “Will and his friends were devastated when Bobby died.
“This was their first experience with a loss so close and it hit really hard.
“The whole community felt it. A balloon release for Bobby filled the local park and around 1,000 people attended his funeral.”
A funding page was opened with the aim to raise a few hundred pounds to donate to the charity but astonishingly the total has reached £23,383.00 and counting.
If you wish to donate to the page, follow this link gofundme.com/f/brain-tumour-research-in-memory-of-bobby-spencer?utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet&utm_content=undefined&utm_location=undefined&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&utm_term=undefined
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