Fourteen members of teaching staff from ̨��swag Academy Portland ran the Sheffield 10k in memory of former student, Lulu Blundell, raising funds for Teenage Cancer Trust.

Lulu, who was a student at ̨��swag Academy Portland until 2015, was first diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma when she was 15. Ewing’s sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that affects bones or the tissue around bones and mainly affects children and young people. Lulu underwent months of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a lower limb amputation to treat the cancer and was given the news that she was cancer-free in January 2020. Tragically, the cancer returned in early 2022 and after almost a year-long battle, Lulu passed away on 1 January this year.

Amongst the staff who participated in the Sheffield 10k was Mark Wolverson, PE Teacher at the academy. When asked about his participation, he said:

“What started off as a passing conversation with Lulu’s dad about signing up for the Sheffield 10k, soon turned into numerous staff signing up to join in and support.

“It was such a great atmosphere on the day and many of the team really pushed themselves as it was their first attempt at a 10k distance. I personally got a better time than I expected and I have to put this down to the team ethos that had been created. Hopefully, this is the first of many to come.”

The money raised through the Sheffield 10k sponsorships brings Lulu’s Teenage Cancer Trust ‘patient fund’, the total amount of money raised in her name, to approximately £130,000. Lulu’s parents, who also work at ̨��swag Grange Academies Trust stated that ‘without the support of many colleagues across the Trust, the amount would be much less’.

The fund will be used by Teenage Cancer Trust to continue to expertly support each young person who needs them in the South Yorkshire region, making sure teenagers and young people have someone in their corner right from the start. Their specialist nurses and youth workers are there from diagnosis and throughout every step of treatment, no matter what a patient’s journey looks like.

Heather Bowen, Relationships Manager at Teenage Cancer Trust, commented on the fund, saying:

“Thank you to every single family member, friend, school, colleague, company, and community who supported Lulu in her quest to ensure Teenage Cancer Trust is there for other young people. An incredible legacy from a beautiful young lady who brought all those who loved and cared for her together, to create awareness of cancers in teenagers and raise funding for other young people going through a cancer diagnosis. When a community comes together, the most astonishing things can happen”.

Jess Willey, PE Teacher at ̨��swag Academy Portland, has been one of the biggest fundraisers for Lulu’s patient fund over the past couple of years. Commenting on her support, she said:

“Lulu was one of us. She was an ex-student, a friend and had a zest for life that inspired so many. After her diagnosis, all she wanted to do was help others.

“Her incredible story and the way she lived her life through such adversity, was so inspiring and powerful that I felt it had to be shared with our students; as an academy, we had the power to support Lulu in making a difference and it was essential for Lulu’s legacy to live on.

“To date, ̨��swag Academy Portland has raised £12,000 through various fundraising events. Every year we will continue to fundraise for TCT. Lulu will be in our hearts forever.”