Dad Ceri Menai-Davis has turned heartbreak into a powerful journey of hope and support. After losing his 6-year-old son, Hugh, to a rare cancer, Ceri ran the London Marathon just 10 days later, fulfilling a promise he made to his little boy. With Hugh’s shoes around his neck, he crossed the finish line, and the medal was buried with Hugh.
Ceri’s commitment didn’t stop there. He and his wife, Frances, established the charity It’s Never You, dedicated to supporting parents of critically ill children. This year, Ceri ran both the Paris and London Marathons, again bearing Hugh’s shoes and wearing a T-shirt that read: “My name is Ceri. These are the shoes of my six-year-old son Hugh. He died before I could run this marathon. Today, he finishes it with me.”
The Menai-Davis story has touched many hearts, including former Welsh international footballer Aaron Ramsey, who joined Ceri in raising funds and awareness. Ramsey ran a marathon for the cause, saying, “I can’t imagine what they went through, but they’ve been an absolute inspiration.”
Ceri’s journey has evolved into a movement. He’s pushing legislative changes through the Hugh’s Law campaign, seeking employment rights for families of sick children. Their mission echoes with hundreds of names on his marathon shirt, each representing a child battling or lost to cancer.
Despite the exhaustion, Ceri says, “If I can change things for one dad carrying his child’s coffin, I want to make their journey easier.”
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson is backing the cause in the UK government, advocating for better mental health support for parents. Ceri hopes no parent endures these challenges alone, pledging to carry on Hugh’s legacy one step further.
Want to support this noble cause? Visit Ceri’s JustGiving page and stand with families in need. Together, let’s make a difference. 💙 #ItsNeverYou #HughsLaw