Father’s Inspiring 26-Mile London Marathon Tribute Honors His Son, Moving Crowds — Photos

On the morning of the London-based footrace, the inspiring father shared a message on Instagram that reflected that enduring bond: “Let’s go Hugh, one last time around London. He never got to cheer me on, today he’s with me.”

However, this was not Ceri’s first tribute run. Earlier in April, he completed the Paris Marathon while also wearing Hugh’s shoes, meaning that together, father and son have now covered more than 50 miles in tribute.

His fundraising efforts are equally determined, with a target of £100,000 for It’s Never You. At the time of writing, more than £25,000 had already been raised.

Hugh was just five years old when he was diagnosed with high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma in October 2020. Over the following months, he endured gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy before passing away on 18 September 2021, shortly after his sixth birthday.

For his parents, Ceri and Frances Menai-Davies, the experience reshaped every aspect of their lives. In fact, the charity’s name stems from Frances’ first words following their son’s diagnosis.

“You always think it’s someone else’s child, never you,” she had said to her husband. Those words have since become the foundation of everything they built in the years that followed.

It’s Never You works to support families facing childhood cancer, offering mental, emotional, and financial assistance during some of the most challenging periods of their lives.

That mission is rooted in lived experience. During Hugh’s treatment at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, the couple made daily journeys of around 100 miles, balancing the emotional toll of their son’s illness with the practical realities of maintaining their livelihoods.

While they described themselves as financially stable during that period, they witnessed other families facing far harsher circumstances.

Ceri recalled seeing parents forced to make impossible choices, including giving up work or struggling to afford basic costs. In one instance, he described helping a mother who could not afford transport or food while caring for her child in hospital. “It was a struggle, but you’d go to the moon and back if you had to,” he said.

Those experiences have since driven the couple’s campaign for systemic change. Alongside their charity work, they launched Hugh’s Law, an initiative aimed at improving employment rights and financial support for families caring for seriously ill children.

Their advocacy has gained political backing, with Sir Oliver Heald MP supporting a Private Members’ Bill to address the gaps in existing provisions.