My name is Dale Fischer, founder of Strength Beyond Silence.

On 4th October 2026, I’ll be running the Köln Half Marathon to raise funds, support and awareness for LATCH, the Welsh Children’s Cancer Charity, and for retinoblastoma awareness.

This run is for a very special little girl, Ava Grace, and her parents, Ian and Vicki.

I’ve been friends with Ian since we were teenagers, so seeing what his family have been through has really hit home. Ava Grace was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer affecting young children, and at just one year old she lost her eye.

Since then, Ava’s journey has involved hospital appointments, treatment, multiple surgeries, prosthetic eyes, and the emotional strain that comes with everything she and her family have had to face.

What many people may not see is the daily reality that continues after diagnosis and surgeries.

For Ava Grace and her family, this journey has meant far more than hospital appointments. It has meant adjusting to life after retinoblastoma, caring for a young child who has been through huge trauma, managing the practical needs that come with prosthetic eye care, and supporting Ava emotionally as she grows and continues to process what she has experienced.

For Ian and Vicki, there is the constant worry, the appointments, the routines, the questions, and the responsibility of helping Ava feel safe, confident and supported every day.

This is why LATCH’s support is so important. Families need help not only during the hardest medical moments, but also in the days, weeks, months and years that follow.

Ian has told me how incredible LATCH have been in supporting them during such a difficult time. That support matters. It gives families practical help, emotional support and reassurance when their world has been turned upside down.

This run also carries personal meaning for me. The last time I ran the Köln Half Marathon was in 2016, and I ran it with my mum. Returning ten years later in 2026 will be emotional, but it feels like the right run, at the right time, for the right cause.

I’ll be running as Strength Beyond Silence, in honour of Ava Grace, in memory of my mum, and to help LATCH continue supporting children and families across Wales affected by childhood cancer.

Every donation, share and message of support helps raise awareness and makes a real difference.

All donations go directly to LATCH, the Welsh Children’s Cancer Charity.

More information about LATCH:

LATCH supports children and their families in Wales affected by childhood cancer, ensuring that no family ever faces the journey alone.

They provide bespoke emotional, practical and financial support to children undergoing treatment for cancer at the Children’s Hospital for Wales. Their support is responsive, compassionate, practical and hopeful.

At any one time, LATCH supports around 140 families, with an average of 55 new children referred each year.

If you want to follow Ava’s journey you can find her on Instagram @Ava_Grace_Cancer_Journey

https://www.instagram.com/ava_grace_cancer_journey?igsh=MXNiYm5hYnpoN3licg==

https://www.instagram.com/strengthbeyondsilence?igsh=ZzBpNWh3Z3pna2p2