Kevin and Jo Esgate are taking on the Peak District Ultra 10-mile challenge, on 4–5 July, in memory of their son James, who passed away from Ewing sarcoma.
They are also continuing their son’s legacy alongside family and friends through further fundraising, and are planning a football event in September, alongside raising awareness through “James’s Journey Rocks”, which has already reached as far as America and Iceland.
Below are the words of Kevin and Jo, whose son James continues to inspire others:
14th February 2023 will always be a memorable day for us; this was the day our lives were turned upside down.
Our son started to feel pain in his right arm quite frequently, around October 2022, which were always dismissed as ‘growing pains’ by his GP practice, but this continued much longer than would be typically expected. He would routinely be in so much discomfort, along with a high temperature which would literally cause him to scream the house down as symptoms intensified. He also started with pain in his ribcage.
We took James to Peterborough A&E on 14th Feb 2023, Valentines Day! What they found in his chest X-ray that day literally broke all our hearts, an 11x11cm tumour on his chest wall. They also discovered, at a later PET scan, further very small lesions in his spine, skull, pelvis and thigh bones.
Sadly, they couldn’t operate due to the location of the tumour, so James had to endure 14 rounds of chemotherapy plus a round of radiotherapy. The tumour shrank quite a bit but unfortunately, in April 2024 James started to get pains again, but in his legs this time. Scans revealed that it now had metastasized to his lungs and a couple of small nodules in his spine, one pressing on the nerves, causing the pains in his legs.
After several different types of chemotherapy to try and help with the lung nodules, we were told in October that IV chemo was no longer an option.
A trial drug was found for James to try from November, but sadly it had to all stop in February after scans revealed treatment wasn’t working and the lung nodules increased.
Amazingly though when all his treatments were over in December 2024, James decided that he wanted to go back to school and carry on as ‘normal’ loving being back with his school friends. This carried on until February half term, when he took a turn for the worse, and school was no longer an option.
When school wasn't an option anymore, his mind was just on building as much Lego as he possibly could, even managing the largest Harry Potter, Hogwarts Castle in the last month of his life.
James sadly passed away on the 22nd April 2025 aged 12.
His strength was simply awe inspiring. He had a great sense of humour which rubbed off on everyone he met. This even extended with the medical teams during hospital stays. His cheeky humour would never be too far to uncover, sometimes at the expense of the staff who were on the receiving end!
Our abiding memory of James will always be how positive he was despite the advanced stages of his cancer. He was always willing to try all the treatments given to him, be it chemotherapy, radiotherapy or the trial medication he later received.
Now, through fundraising and awareness, his family are determined that his legacy continues.
In James’s memory, we are taking on the Peak District Ultra on 4–5 July to raise funds for the Bone Cancer Research Trust, a cause that became deeply personal during his journey.
Alongside the ultra, the family are also planning a football fundraising event in September.
They have also created a creative and meaningful way to spread awareness through James’s Journey Rocks painting and placing rocks to highlight primary bone cancer and 3 sarcoma. James loved to find painted rocks and re hide for others, so they family wanted to do the same in his honour.
Rocks have been found far beyond the UK, with rocks discovered as far afield as America and Iceland, helping to spark conversations alongside honouring James.
Through every step, every event, and every rock placed, the Esgate family are not only remembering their son, they are helping others. By sharing James’s journey, they hope to raise awareness so that no child and no family facing cancer ever feels alone.
To support their fundraising, click here