WHEN two-year-old Liam Leighton from Wantage was diagnosed with cancer, his mum Kerry felt like the world had ended.

But staff at Oxford Children’s Hospital helped her to cope with the fact her son had Wilm’s Tumour, a form of kidney cancer.

Now three, Liam has undergone an operation and is in remission, although he still needs regular check-ups.

To say thank you to staff, Ms Leighton’s sister, Rosemary Rautenbach, 30, is running in this year’s Oxford Mail OX5 Run around the grounds of Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, on Sunday, April 19.

Ms Leighton, 28, said: “The second you hear the word cancer it just fills you with dread. “Your blood runs cold.

“But the staff at the hospital were exceptional and did everything they could to reassure me.

“They were so good with Liam that he used to get quite excited when I told him it was time to go to hospital.

“Staff from the cancer charity Clic Sargent were also very supportive and helped Liam to have some chemotherapy sessions at home.”

Mother-of-two Ms Rautenbach, of Adkin Way, Wantage, added: “It’s difficult to comprehend that someone so little and so young can have cancer. You want to be positive, but inside you can’t help but think the worst.

“Now that Liam is on the mend we wanted to do something positive.

“One of Liam’s nurses told us about the run and I thought this would be a great way to raise a bit of money and say thank you to the staff. It would be great if other people decide to get involved as well to make the run a huge success.”

Liam had one of his kidneys removed and underwent a series of chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions.

Ms Leighton added: “Two weeks ago, we were told the cancer was in remission.

“Liam has done brilliantly and it’s amazing how strong he has been — we really think of him as a little superhero now.”

Ms Rautenbach is using the Just Giving website to manage her sponsorship collection.

Graham Brogden, head of community fundraising for Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals, said. “Using the Just Giving site takes a lot of embarrassment out asking for sponsorship money — you just email your friends and family and if they want to sponsor you they do it there and then, so it cuts out the need to chase up your sponsorship.”

So far, almost 250 people have signed up for the run, which is being sponsored this year by Allen Associates and Motorworld.

The OX5 Run is in its seventh year, and in the past has raised £50,000 for the £30m children’s hospital, which opened in 2007 following a £14m community fundraising campaign. More than 65,000 patients are treated at the hospital each year.

Entry for the OX5 Run is £10 per person, with each runner asked to raise at least £100 in sponsorship.