Motorsport memoir rallies to help Just George fund in memory of four-year-old from Isleham, near Newmarket

A former racing driver and one of the most successful motorsport engineers of all time has donated £7,000 to a fund set up to remember a four-year-old Isleham boy who died after battling a rare form of cancer.

The money is part of the proceeds from a book – A History of Winning – written by Gerry Johnstone about his life in motorsport and has gone to the Just George fund set up by Lisa and David Radcliffe, whose son George was only three when he was diagnosed with soft tissue tumour rhabdomyosarcoma.

He underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery but the tumour returned and did not respond to the relapse treatment.

The fund which bears his name works in aid of the Children and Young People’s Cancer Association (CCLG).

Childhood cancer experts CCLG bring together paediatric oncologists, researchers, samples, families who have gone through the heartache of caring for a sick child and funding to find kinder and more effective treatments for childhood cancer.

Gerry, a former Vauxhall team manager, said supporting Just George was important to him and his family.

“We have known George’s dad David since he was a teenager. It was a pleasure to see him and our own son become fathers at a similar time and follow their joyful journey into fatherhood,” he said.

“We were devastated when we heard of George’s diagnosis and felt helpless when his treatment ended. Through the success of the book sales, I am so pleased to be able to play a part in supporting children diagnosed in the future.”

George’s dad David said ‘We were just celebrating reaching the £200,000 milestone in just 20 months, when Gerry said he had a donation for us. We were blown away by such a generous sum of money, which has since tipped our fund-raising pot to £210,000.

“This money will be spent on research looking to develop kinder and more effective treatments for all children diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma.’

George’s parents accepted the donation at Gerry’s family-run Cottenham Tyre and Auto.

“George loved cars and vehicles and would have been excited to hear Gerry’s stories and look at the exciting images in his book,” said Lisa.

“We want to thank Gerry for thinking of us at this moment of celebration for him and his family as he captures his life in motorsport.”

Thanks to research, survival rates for childhood cancer have more than doubled since the 1960s but cancers like rhabdomyosarcoma remain complex and challenging.

“For this reason the Just George fund will continue to grow,” said David, “as there is still so much to uncover like which treatments work best for each child, how to make treatments safer and kinder and even what causes rhabdomyosarcoma and whether it is preventable.”

Gerry has also made donations from the proceeds of his book to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and Prostate Cancer UK. It has almost sold out, but a few copies might still be available at www.readersempire.co.uk

To support Just George you can follow the charity on Facebook.