Family complete 19 laps of South Shields football ground for Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of loved one

Each lap marked a year of Adrian life so sadly lost his battle to Osteosarcoma.
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The family of Adrian Atkinson who sadly lost his battle to Osteosarcoma - a rare form of bone cancer earlier this year have shown their support for Teenage Cancer Trust with their recent challenge.

Adrian's brother-in-law George Fraser Snr and his son also named George (Adrian's nephew) along with Madoc Atkinson (Adrian's nephew) Carl Mowatt, Operations Director of South Shields FC and photographer Chris Whalen completed laps of the 1st Cloud Area to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust.

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It was young George's love of football that inspired the family to come up with the idea of 19 laps of the pitch, one for every year of Adrian's life.

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Adrian and George JnrAdrian and George Jnr
Adrian and George Jnr

Adrian's family would like to thank South Shields midfielder Martin Smith who helped to arrange the challenge at the club.

The family has already completed 19 laps at the Ford hub in Sunderland where George Jnr plays and will embark on 19 laps around Stadium of Light in February.

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Adrian was diagnosed with stage 4 Osteosarcoma last year but once the cancer had spread from his left shin bone to his lungs his oncologist sadly informed the family the cancer was incurable.

George Snr said: "Adrian fought bravely and never lost faith. He was an inspiration to us all and words can't describe how proud we all are of how he handled the situation.

"Our family has witnessed first hand the incredible impact of Teenage Cancer Trust's work.

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"Adrian received treatment at the children's cancer unit at the RVI in Newcastle, and we are forever grateful for the unwavering support Teenage Cancer Trust provided during this difficult time.

"While we can never fully repay their kindness, we hope this fundraiser will enable Teenage Cancer Trust to continue providing much-needed support to other young people facing cancer's challenges."