Toddler completes fun run in Texas for St Catherine’s Hospice

A two-year-old has put his best foot forward to raise an incredible £500 for St Catherine’s Hospice – all the way from America!

Jaxon Callon is a proud member of #TeamCallon – a determined group of family and friends of inspirational Leon Callon, who are continuing his legacy through fundraising activities and charity challenges in his memory.

Leon’s nephew Jaxon is flying the flag for #TeamCallon along with his dad – Leon’s brother Ben – from almost 5,000 miles away in their home town of Texas. He took part in his very first sponsored fun run recently, raising a fantastic $700 for the Lostock Hall hospice.

Leon’s mum Alison said: “Jaxon took part in The Running of the Bulls at the NRG stadium in Houston, home of the Texans’ American football team, whose logo and mascot is a bull.

“It was a 1km fun run and he ran the whole thing with Ben, proudly wearing their #TeamCallon t-shirts, and so far he’s raised more than £500 for St Catherine’s.”

Leon, from Hoghton, was initially referred to one of the hospice’s speciality doctors in 2017 after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. He later started seeing the charity’s community Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) team, who visit people in their own homes and helped Leon put plans in place for his care at the end of his life. He died in the hospice’s inpatient unit in March 2018, aged just 36.

#TeamCallon has donated an astounding £44,000 to St Catherine’s so far, and continues to raise vital funds to enable the hospice to provide its specialist palliative and end of life care for local people affected by life-shortening conditions like cancer, motor neurone disease, and heart failure, now and in the future.

Emma Jacovelli, head of community engagement at St Catherine’s, said: “The efforts of #TeamCallon really are remarkable – they have raised funds in such a wide variety of ways, from 16-hour bike rides, running half marathons, and completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge, to smaller scale events like hosting non-uniform days. One of Leon’s friends even did a spin class at the gym every single day for a whole year, which really takes some will power!

“And now little Jaxon has become one of the youngest members of the team to support St Catherine’s in memory of his uncle – what a fantastic achievement for him to complete the 1km run and raise such an amazing amount for our hospice all the way from across the pond.”

She added: “Leon launched #TeamCallon because he understood that we have to raise millions of pounds year after year to continue providing our care and help our patients to experience quality of life until the end of life. It’s a great testament to his determined, positive attitude that his family and friends continue to come out in force time after time, and think of new and exciting ways to build on his fundraising legacy.

“Jaxon and the whole team are such an inspiration, and we’re honoured to have their ongoing support. They should be incredibly proud of their achievements.”

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