British Dad and Uncle Complete Epic Channel Paddle in Memory of 10-Year-Old Pearl

Raising Funds for #PearlPower
The brothers were raising money for #PearlPower, a Special Named Fund at CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association. The fund, set up by Jamie and his wife Rachel, supports research into kinder, more effective treatments for all types of childhood cancer with poor outcomes.

Determination in the Face of Challenge
Jamie, from Hassocks in Sussex, said seeing the pain children with cancer endure inspired him to push through his own during the challenge.

“My body had started giving up on me a little while we were going across and the exhaustion towards the end really was kicking in, but that sort of drive to want to help was paramount throughout the entire day for me.
The things I’ve seen in the past made it seem completely doable and that drive all the way through what we were doing was massive for me. I would have kept going because I know that it’s nothing compared to what I’ve seen.
It was a remarkable day. It really showed me some things about myself that I wasn’t really aware of.”

John, from Garsington in Oxfordshire, said:

“At no point did I think ‘we can’t do this’, it was just about not overthinking it. Get your first mile done, then working in three-mile stints.
When we got to six, we had a break. That was a 10-minute break. And then the next six.
It’s just having those little goals that keep you going.”

He added that the challenge tested both his mental and physical endurance:

“Physically, it’s probably one of the toughest [challenges] because with cycling, for example, you can have easy sections and tough sections, so it’s peaks and troughs. Whereas paddleboarding, it’s just solid, non-stop, so you don’t get any respite.
And the other thing was, while it was great being on the open water, we’re in the middle of the ocean, so the scenery doesn’t change. You’ve got no distractions.”

Overwhelming Community Support

The brothers were deeply touched by the donations and messages of support, especially after multiple weather-related postponements.

“I’m just so blown away by the amount of money we’ve raised and so grateful for everybody’s support. It’s really hard to find the right words of what that means,” Jamie said.

He also praised the kindness of the paddle board community:

“The paddleboard community itself is a kind place. I didn’t realise I was tapping into that when I started, and the kindness of the paddle board community and the support we had, even from people I’d never met.”

Honoring Pearl’s Memory
Jamie spoke about the pride of raising funds that will help CCLG continue groundbreaking research:

“I hope there are going to be families out there that won’t have to go through what we went through because of the money we’ve raised.
I feel unbelievably proud that we’ve done something that will help. And Pearl wanted to make a difference in the world. For a little girl, she was unbelievably moral, and she really wanted to make a difference.
We’ve done it in her name because I’d like to think that in a certain way, it was her that did this and she drove us forward to do what we’ve done, and this is for her.”

Thanks to the community and challenges like Jamie and John’s, #PearlPower has raised almost £160,000 for CCLG, supporting research in collaboration with The Bone Cancer Research Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, and Ewings Sarcoma Research Trust. This has funded four new vital bone cancer research projects as part of an £800,000 collaboration.

Rachel, Pearl’s mum, said:

“We’re delighted to have been able to help fund these projects, especially as they all focus on Ewing sarcoma – the childhood cancer that took our wonderful daughter Pearl.
Pearl would, and should, be 18 now. I’ve no doubt she would be heading to university, off to have many adventures and to make the world a brighter place.
When she was little, she spoke of becoming a lawyer so she could afford a stable of beautiful horses but who knows what her dreams would be now. It’s very sad not to know.
So, our aim in funding these projects to find cures and kinder treatments for Ewings, is to quite literally keep kids’ dreams alive.”

Hannah Ortega, of CCLG’s fundraising team, said:

“Jamie and John’s dedication and determination have been nothing short of extraordinary.
They’ve shown resilience and a desire to succeed, and we can’t thank them enough for their incredible efforts taking on this challenge, raising vital funds for research, and awareness of childhood cancer.”

Support #PearlPower
Donate to Jamie and John’s fundraising: www.justgiving.com/page/paddle4pearl2025
Find out more about #PearlPower: https://specialnamedfunds.cclg.org.uk/pearlpower/

About CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association
CCLG is a charity dedicated to creating a brighter future for children and young people with cancer. They fund and lead world-class research, provide trusted guidance and support, and unite professionals to drive progress in childhood cancer care. Collaboration, expertise, and research are central to their work, improving treatments, care, and outcomes for children and young people facing cancer.