Boy's charity challenge 'so other children aren't sad'

An eight-year-old boy who is climbing eight hills and mountains for charity after losing his grandmother to sepsis said he was completing the challenge "so other children aren't sad like I am".

Arthur, from Preston, lost his grandmother Hazel Pryce in 2024, aged 61, after she contracted pneumonia and a kidney infection which developed into sepsis.

He has already raised £515 for the UK Sepsis Trust and is set to take on his next challenge later with a climb up Pendle Hill in east Lancashire.

The UK Sepsis Trust said sepsis claimed 48,000 lives each year in the UK.

The life-threatening condition occurs when a patient's immune system develops an extreme reaction to an infection, causing organ and tissue damage.

Arthur's mother, Jessica Pryce, said: "It means so much to us as a family to help in even a small way in hopefully ensuring other families don't have hear the words 'It's sepsis, I'm sorry, there's nothing more that we can do'."

Hazel had been married to her husband, Phil, for 37 years and was a mother of six and grandmother of 12.

She was described by her family as a "strong, active woman" who was "deeply loved and remains greatly missed".

Arthur said: "I'm doing this challenge because I don't want other children to be sad like I am, missing someone because of sepsis.

"I don't want other people to get sepsis. I wanted to raise money in memory of my grandma because she would be proud of me and I love climbing mountains and eating cake after!"

The UK Sepsis Trust said the condition was as common as heart attacks in the UK, with nearly 80,000 people each year suffering life-changing after-effects.

It said 82% of sepsis survivors experienced 'post-sepsis syndrome' more than a year after hospital discharge, and 18% were left permanently unable to work.

Dr Ron Daniels, founder and chief medical officer of the trust, said: "We are incredibly moved by Arthur's determination and the strength of his family, especially his mother Jessica.

"Taking on such a challenge at a young age in memory of his grandmother is truly inspiring, and his efforts will allow us to continue our vital work, helping our health service save lives and improve outcomes for the thousands of people affected by this condition every year."

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