Christopher Niblett

A PROUD father will be living out his late son’s dream when he makes a charitable trip to Africa later this month.

Geoff Niblett, Alison Sherwen

Geoff Niblett will be travelling to Tanzania along with his daughter Alison Sherwen in memory of son and brother Christopher, who died aged 26 in 2006 after being diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma, a rare cancer in the UK.

When he was diagnosed in 2005, brave Christopher insisted should he survive he wanted to travel to the East African country to help sufferers there, where the cancer is endemic.

Sadly it wasn’t a dream former Dame Alice Owen’s School student-turned-teacher Christopher could fulfil, but dad and sister will make sure his ambition is lived out through them.

Geoff, a retired teacher, of Northlands, told the Potters Bar Edition: “It is an endemic problem in Africa and when Chris heard about it he wanted to go out and help the children.

“He never got the chance but me and my daughter will go and try and make something positive out of what was for us a tragedy.”

Mum Jayne will not get the opportunity to join them on the trip to Dar es Salaam, but together the family have all worked hard raising money for the INCTR Challenge Fund (International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research), which is funding the visit.

Jayne, a teacher at Lochinver House Primary School, said: “At first we thought the problem may have been an irritable bowel because the last thing you expect is that your son has cancer.

“Burkitt Lymphoma is a rare type of cancer which can kill in eight weeks and Christopher became very ill very quickly.

“He had a major operation to remove part of the colon but the cancer had crossed into the brain and central nervous system,” Jayne said.

“Unfortunately doctors said there was nothing more they could do and they was going to stop treating him, but Christopher never wanted to give up.

“Our daughter Alison spoke to a professor at St Bartholomew’s Hospital who was willing to treat him so we took him to see her.

“She was involved with the INCTR and that’s how we found out about the charity.”

At Christopher’s funeral the family asked instead of flowers they would appreciate donations for a memorial fund they set up, to raise money for the INCTR.

To date, family and friends have raised £54,000.

Jayne added: “We are so grateful to everyone who has helped raise money.

“Only just recently one of his friends Mark has just climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

“It is absolutely fantastic and all these kind people have really have inspired us to carry on our work for the charity, and it’s wonderful to know Christopher’s life wasn’t for nothing.”

Geoff, who is now a trustee of the INCTR Challenge Fund, added: “The last INCTR meeting I went to they told me they had arranged a trip to Tanzania to see where our money had gone.

“Through the money raised three times as many children are being treated there than before and they now have a specific ward for Burkitt Lymphoma at one of the two hospitals we are going to visit.

“If caught early there is now a 70 per cent success rate, which in countries such as Tanzania is unheard of.”

He said: “We are only making a flying visit but it is a visit with a purpose.

“The INCTR are pleased with our contribution and we are in awe of their work. What they do under such difficult circumstances is unbelievable.”

Geoff and Alison head out to Tanzania on February 20.