Power On colleagues walking 100km in 24 hours in memory of Isobel ‘Izzy’ Sheppard from Great Barton who died from rare cancer
Twelve colleagues are preparing to walk 100 kilometres in 24 hours to honour the memory of their co-worker's teenage daughter who died from a rare form of cancer.
The team from utilities connections company Power On are walking the Thames Path from Putney Bridge to Henley in Oxfordshire in memory of Isobel ‘Izzy’ Sheppard from Great Barton, near Bury St Edmunds, who died aged 15 in December 2022.
Izzy was 12 when she was diagnosed in January 2020 with synovial sarcoma in her groin, which affects one in a million people and resulted in the amputation of her leg.
She wanted to raise awareness and worked for a fund-raising initiative by charity Sarcoma UK where she shared details of her sarcoma experience.
More than two years later, in October 2022, Izzy was preparing to sit her GCSEs when she unexpectedly suffered a brain bleed.
The cancer had returned and had spread to her brain, lungs, kidney and adrenal gland. Izzy died on December 14 at West Suffolk Hospital’s Rainbow Ward.
Izzy’s mother, Sam, is national sales manager at Power On and 12 of her colleagues have spent months training for the walk that happens from September 14 to 15.
She said: “So far more than £28,000 has been raised in the fund in Izzy’s name, and I am so touched that colleagues at Power On are taking part in this challenge in her memory.”
A JustGiving fund-raiser has raised more than £1,251 so far, passing its £1,000 target.
Cholletta Thompson, who is a construction support team leader at Power On, said: “This incredible show of support from our team is a testament to our collective passion for making a difference in the fight against sarcoma.
“We want to support the work of Sarcoma UK in raising awareness and helping research into this terrible disease that took the life of Sam’s cherished daughter, Izzy.”
Richard Davidson, chief executive at Sarcoma UK, said: "We are deeply moved by the incredible effort of the Power On team in memory of Izzy Sheppard.
“Their commitment to walking 100km in 24 hours not only honours Izzy's journey with synovial sarcoma but also shines a crucial light on this rare cancer.
“At Sarcoma UK, we see this kind of dedication as vital in our mission to fund research, raise awareness, and support those affected by sarcoma.
“The funds raised will make a real difference in our work, bringing us closer to a world where everyone affected by sarcoma has access to the best treatment and care."
