AN Oxford schoolgirl who launched a night-time charity walk inspired by her own brave battle with bone cancer has sadly died.
Tia Wandless-Adamson, who launched the Oxford Shine Night Walk for Cancer Research last year, passed away at home in June at the age of 14 after battling bone cancer.
The Matthew Arnold School student was diagnosed with osteosarcoma - the most common type of primary bone cancer in children - at the age of 11.
READ MORE: Animal charity welcomes a new CEO from Oxfordshire
She had a major operation to remove a tumour in her leg and lost most of her femur, learning to walk again with a titanium prosthesis.
At the of 13, her cancer returned and more treatment was needed. To mark her resilience in dealing with the further treatment, Tia was asked to help launch the Oxford Shine night-time walk on October 15, 2021.
Oxford was one of 18 locations across the UK selected to host the event which raises vital funds to help save the lives of people with cancer.
The event is a 10K walk to raise awareness of the 51,400 people who are diagnosed with cancer every year in the region.
Alison Birkett, from Cancer Research UK, said: “The event raised £95,552 last year and I would like to thank Karen and her daughter Tia for their strength and courage in standing on the stage that night.
READ MORE: Pub owners create new gin in honour of Oxfordshire festival
“It made a great deal of difference in engaging with different people who were taking part and knowing also that more treatment was ahead of her.
“Tia was a special girl who was vibrant and caring and her personality shone bright from our first meeting.
“She was given a Cancer Research UK Star Award in 2020 which celebrates the courage of children and young people with cancer.
“Tia was a special young woman who touched many hearts, including mine.”
Speaking at the launch of the event last year, her mum Karen, said: ““I am so proud of Tia especially when I stop and think what she has been through.
““Her dad died when she was four-and-a-half from an aneurysm, he was just 38 and we had to learn to cope, along with my son Ryan who was 16 at the time.
“To look at Tia you just wouldn’t know anything is wrong, she is just like any 13-year-old, she is sassy and chatty and is back at school coping with her lessons as if all is normal.”
READ MORE: Major Oxfordshire road will be closed overnight
On Saturday, September 3 there will be a period of reflection on stage on the night of the Shine Night walk for people to remember Tia and their loved ones whose lives have been affected by cancer.
-
Read more from this author
This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.
Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland
A message from our Editor
Thank you for reading this story and supporting the Oxford Mail.
If you like what we do please consider getting a subscription for the Oxford Mail and in return we’ll give you unrestricted access with less adverts across our website from the latest news, investigations, features, and sport.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok for more.
You can also join the conversation in our Facebook groups: stay ahead of traffic alerts here, keep up to date with the latest from court here, share your favourite memories of Oxford here, get your daily dose of celebrity news here and take some time out with news that will make you smile.
If you’ve got a story for our reporters, send us your news here. You can also list an event for free here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here