7:01pm Friday 13th June 2008
SEVEN months ago Janet Beare was confronted with the terrifying fact that her tiny grandchild had cancer.
But thanks to revolutionary treatment, only possible because of cancer research, he is fighting back.
Now Janet, 50, of Tinkers Field, Wootton Bassett, is determined to complete the Race For Life in honour of her grandson Tristan's achievement and to pay tribute to the research that made it possible.
She said: "Fundraising gives people like Tristan a chance.
"Without research we just don't know what would have happened.
"And if the doctors did not know what the problem was, we would have lost him."
Over two days this weekend thousands of women will take part in the Swindon Race For Life at Lydiard Park.
All will be raising money for Cancer Research UK and organisers have high hopes that the races will raise more than £342,000.
Janet got involved with this year's race after boffins' pioneering research threw Tristan a lifeline.
Tristan was born late last year.
But by the time he was 10 weeks old problems flared.
His parents, Mark, 26, and Natasha Bamford, 24, of High Street, Wootton Bassett, realised something was wrong when he was constantly being sick.
After going to see their doctor Tristan underwent chemotherapy at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
"It was such a shock," said Janet.
"It was just completely out of the blue. I was hysterical. In that situation your first thoughts are we're going to lose him.
"You just thought it meant death - you can't help it.
"It's very hard because we had to see Mark and Natasha suffer.
"They were stronger than everybody.
"It makes you feel like there's not a god. I'm not a religious person who says their prayers, but I have said them every night since and now I'm frightened not to."
Tristan, who is now nine months old, endured gruelling treatment for neuroblastoma, a very rare form of cancer.
Normally such a cancer in someone so young would not require such aggressive treatment.
But after undergoing a course of chemotherapy in November, so far all the signs look good.
It is now a question of waiting for the next check-up.
Tristan's tummy, which had been a concern, has become smaller and he is putting on weight.
Earlier this year he was honoured with Cancer Research UK's Little Star Award, which recognises the challenges faced by children with the disease.
Janet, an administration assistant at Tesco, along with three colleagues, will be one of thousands running or walking in memory of their loved ones.
Mark added: "It's for such a good cause and once you have been through it and you have seen what it does, it makes you realise how much more is needed."
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