When a mother and her teenage son cross the finish line together at next month’s London Marathon, it will be an emotional tribute to their husband and father, who died from an extremely rare cancer.
Ollie Smythe from Enfield will turn 18 on the day of the marathon – the youngest age able to take part. He will be celebrating this special birthday in memory of his late father, James Smythe, who was an international canoeist and a very keen runner.
Ollie and his mother, Catherine, are training together for the 26-mile race. Ollie is juggling running with revising for his A-levels. Ollie said: “Back when I was in primary school, my dad used to drag me out of the house at the crack of dawn to train with the local running club, while also signing me up to do every single league race. I would’ve much rather been playing Fortnite, but I did my best to stick with it and make my dad happy.
“The only thing I really enjoyed was the odd Parkrun as I loved being able to run at my own pace, and I came to appreciate the strong sense of community that Parkrun harbours. However, my three years of running came to a grinding halt due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic and, most importantly, the fact that my dad was battling cancer for the first time.
“I have discovered a passion for running that I never thought I’d find back when I was a stubborn young kid, but I couldn’t be happier that I have become so invested in a sport my dad loved so dearly. Race day will be hard, but we’ve simply got to go out there and have fun, knowing that my dad will be watching from above prouder than ever. I love you daddy and I hope I will make you proud.”
Catherine said of James: “Sport was an integral part of his life and his passion. The London Marathon was on his bucket list but he never got to do it, so we will be fulfilling his dream.”
Catherine, who works in the charity sector, added: “I know James will be with us pushing us through when it gets tough. We are both inspired by his bravery and we will draw from the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination he showed throughout his illness. As he said, ‘I know we hope we can beat cancer just by fighting it. Sometimes this is true. Other times it comes back with a better plan and wins. As in life, you have to try but not feel a failure for not having won.’
“Crossing the finish line will be by far my proudest achievement! I only started running a year ago and decided to take up this challenge for James, he gave me the drive and the self-belief. Doing it with my son will make it even more special. Since James passed away, we have this unbreakable bond and together we can do this.”
Catherine remembers when James went to see his GP in October 2019 after finding a lump on the right side of his abdomen. He had an ultrasound and was referred for a CT scan at a private clinic. He was told it was nothing serious and that he would be referred to a kidney specialist at the Royal Free Hospital. In January 2020, a biopsy revealed that James had peritoneal de-differentiated liposarcoma attached to his right kidney, a highly aggressive type of soft tissue sarcoma. In April 2020, after two gruelling rounds of chemotherapy, James had to have a life-saving operation to remove a tumour that weighed five kilos.
In summer 2021, James found a lump in his lateral muscle – the cancer had returned. In January 2022, he started an immunotherapy trial, but it had to be stopped due to tumours causing a bowel obstruction. He was then told the cancer had metastasised, invading the whole of his abdomen. He was in excruciating pain and ended up in A&E where he was told he had three weeks to live. He died in April 2022, after unbearable suffering, at just 52 years old.
Catherine, 54, said: “It was a real shock to us as he was a very fit person and sadly his late diagnosis had terrible consequences to the rest of his journey with sarcoma: suffering a double pulmonary embolism that nearly claimed his life, causing the operation to be postponed and increasing the chances of a recurrence as the cancer was extremely aggressive. And, indeed, the cancer came back very quickly, and no treatment worked.”
Catherine said: “James was an adoring husband, a loving and dedicated father who loved life. We were at the heart of everything he did. Ollie was his world and he was so incredibly proud of him. He was our glue, our rock, our light and our world fell apart when he died. We miss him terribly. He was very kind, loved helping others and making a difference to people’s lives. He inspired and made many dreams a reality – for himself and for others. James had so much more to give but sadly the cancer robbed him of a future. I feel very lucky to have shared the life of such an amazing man.”
James was a talented paddler who represented the Great Britain canoe team. He resumed canoeing after his operation and, in July 2021, won gold at the National Championship for his age category. He was awarded posthumously with the British Canoeing Volunteer Recognition. He also set up a new event – the Short Course National Championships – but died before the inaugural event was held. The senior men’s and women’s winners now receive the James Smythe Memorial Trophies. At the National Marathon Championships, the female winner is now presented with the James Smythe Sword.
Catherine and Ollie are running for Sarcoma UK. She said: “I found Sarcoma UK through Google when I was feeling isolated and alone when my husband was first diagnosed. Their Support Line became my lifeline and, throughout James’s illness, the nurses were always at the other end of the phone to offer support, guidance, expert knowledge or sometimes just being a listening ear when things got tougher.”
Sarcoma UK’s Support Line Manager, Helen Stradling, said: “James’s story is a reminder of just how devastating sarcoma can be and how important early diagnosis is. Catherine used our Support Line throughout some of the darkest moments of her family’s journey, and that is exactly what we are here for. What Catherine and Ollie are doing in James’s memory is so inspiring, and we are very grateful for their support. Every pound they raise will help ensure that no one facing a sarcoma diagnosis has to face it alone.”
