A FATHER has completed a five-day challenge climbing the three highest mountains in the UK in memory of his 12-year-old daughter, who passed away last year from a rare form of cancer.
Beth Phelps died on 3 October 2022 – just 12 days shy of her 13th birthday – after a relapse of Ewing sarcoma, which occurs in bones or in the soft tissue around the bones, and most commonly affects children and young adults.
Her parents, Ben and Aby Phelps, said her death ‘has left a huge void in all our lives’.
Mr and Mrs Phelps have set up a fund in Beth’s memory called ‘Love Beth’, which aims to raise money for life-saving research into the cancer.
They explained: ‘We would like to do something in her name to make a difference to those who might suffer from this horrendous disease in the future.’
As part of the fundraising efforts, Mr Phelps and family friend Neil Winstanley yesterday completed the last leg of a gruelling five-day challenge, which has involved climbing the three peaks of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis totalling over 23,000 feet – as well as cycling the 500 miles between each mountain.
Speaking ahead of the challenge, Mr Phelps said: ‘While a huge physical challenge, any pain we encounter training and completing this is insignificant to what Beth endured.
‘On a more spiritual point, there will be something special about being so high up each mountain and somehow closer to Beth.’
He added: ‘Times are hard, and people are often asking for money, but if you have a spare pound or more then I guarantee it is going to an extremely worthy cause.
‘Government funding for childhood cancer is pathetically low.
‘We need desperately to fund research otherwise more children will face the same fate as our daughter.’
Beth was first diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, after finding a lump on her shoulder blade.
After confirming the diagnosis, she was fitted with a medical line for the administration of chemotherapy drugs on Christmas Eve and began chemotherapy on Christmas Day 2020.
After nine months of chemotherapy, surgery and finally radiotherapy, Beth and her parents received the ‘joyous news’ that she was all-clear from the disease.
Beth celebrated her 12th birthday ‘trick or treating’ and went to Lapland just before Christmas for a family holiday of a lifetime, far from the Christmas spent in hospital the year before.
The Phelps family enjoyed ‘nine months of bliss together’ before the disease returned in the summer of 2022.
Beth’s Ewing sarcoma relapse was so aggressive that her family were told that there was nothing to do to prevent it, and she was given three months to live.
Beth passed away in October 2022, with her family and pets by her side.
Mr and Mrs Phelps said: ‘She never failed to make us smile and laugh. She loved her friends, her family, her room, Roblox, Jelly Cat teddies, Stranger Things and Friends.
‘She always stood up for the underdog in anything, loved art and anything a bit scary!
‘She was unique and beautiful, and we miss her with all our hearts.’
You can donate at: justgiving.com/page/lovebeth.
