Oscar's 30-day running challenge for friend Mason raises over £72,000
An 11-year-old boy has raised more than £72,000 by running a mile a day for 30 days to support his friend Mason, who has stage 4 cancer.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
An 11-year-old boy from Chichester has completed a gruelling 30-day running challenge to support his best friend, who is fighting a rare form of cancer. Oscar, who is the same age as his friend Mason, ran a mile every day for a month, despite admitting he does not really like running. His efforts have raised more than £72,000 for Mason, who is living with stage 4 cancer that grows in his muscles. Doctors have told Mason's family he has a 20% chance of beating the disease.
Oscar said he felt "really sad" when he first heard Mason was unwell and wanted to help. He chose running because it was a challenge for him. "Since I don't really like running and I decided that I wanted to help him, so I decided to do running," he explained. Over the 30 days, Oscar added variety to his runs, including one where he wore a duck's head, which Mason particularly liked, and another where he was joined by friends.
His mother, Ellie, said she could not be prouder of him. "It's just amazing that the whole world can see what I've seen for the past 10 years," she said. She described the support from the local community and from people around the world as "incredible". Mason's family, she said, were "overjoyed" and grateful that Oscar had shown Mason he is not alone. The daily runs gave Mason something to look forward to every day.
Oscar said the challenge taught him "how one person can really make a difference". He is due back at school next week and said he is excited to see his friends, including Mason. His mother hopes Oscar's story will inspire others to be kind. "It's just so important to always be kind and that's what I've always taught Oscar and I think he's shown that," she said.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 |
|---|---|
| Mason has a rare stage 4 cancer with a 20% chance of beating it. | |
| Oscar ran a mile every day for 30 days to support his friend Mason. | |
| The fundraising challenge raised over £72,000. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel focused on the emotional human-interest angle, featuring a studio interview with Oscar and his mother. It highlighted Oscar's personal motivation, his friendship with Mason, and the overwhelming public support, while also noting the severity of Mason's illness.
- “I felt really sad and I really wanted to help him.”
- “Since I don't really like running and I decided that I wanted to help him, so I decided to do running.”
- “So proud, I honestly couldn't be prouder of him and it's just amazing that the whole world can see what I've seen for the past 10 years.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.