Every Spring for the past ten years a team of friends and family have been coming together to run five miles in memory of a very special little boy.

The team is called Jacob’s Journey, and they run together at the OX5 RUN at Blenheim Palace in memory of their beloved Jacob, who passed away in 2014.

Shortly after his birth at the John Radcliffe Hospital, little Jacob was diagnosed with a serious heart condition. 

Whilst the family were in the hospital with Jacob, they watched from their window as the annual hospital abseil took place. The family remember thinking how wonderful it was that the doctors and nurses were raising money in support of Oxford Hospitals Charity.

It inspired Jacob’s Aunt, Gemma Finnegan, to sign up a team of friends and family for the charity’s other major fundraising event – the OX5 RUN -  while Jacob was still receiving treatment at the Oxford Children’s Hospital.

Gemma, from Corby,  said: ‘We saw how above and beyond the nurses and doctors went for the children they cared for and it really inspired us to take part.’

Sadly just three weeks before their very first OX5 RUN Jacob passed away but the family still decided to take part in his honour.

‘It was an emotional day for us all. We could have easily decided not to take part, as we were all distraught, but my sister and I felt it would be a lovely way to pay tribute to Jacob and to the amazing team that cared for him during his short life.’

And the Jacob’s Journey team have continued running in the OX5 every year since then to support the hospital in his memory and help other parents who have found themselves in similar circumstances.

‘The OX5 does such an amazing job of raising money and we have been proud to be a part, if only a small part, of that. It’s been an honour to be involved in this event and has all been done in loving memory of Jacob.

‘We would like to thank all of our friends and family who have joined us in previous years and also all of those who have pledged their money to us.

‘After ten years of fundraising we have decided this will be our last year at the run, so many of our past team members are taking part again and we hope to raise as much as we can.’

David Child from Oxford Hospitals Charity said: ‘We would love to mark this incredible anniversary with a big thank you to Jacob's Journey Team for all the fundraising they have done over the last ten years.

‘They have raised close to £12,000 in this time, which is amazing! Everything Gemma and the team have done in Jacob's memory is truly inspiring, and will have helped so many other families coming through the Children’s Hospital.  The whole charity team shares our thanks for their inspiring support in memory of Jacob .’

There is still time to join this Sunday’s OX5 RUN at Blenheim Palace – sign up at www.hospitalcharity.co.uk/ox5run