Ashley Cain has set off on a 100 mile run to honour the one year anniversary of his daughter Azaylia’s death.
The 31-year-old footballer and his partner Safiyya, 33, tragically lost Azaylia when she was just eight months old, after a battle with leukaemia.
One year on, Ashley is running 100 miles to raise money for the family’s charity, The Azaylia Foundation – which helps children with serious illnesses to access treatment not readily available on the NHS.
100 miles: Ashley Cain set off on his 100 mile run in memory of his late daughter Azaylia on Saturday morning – a year after her tragic death
The couple set up the foundation in her name to help and raise awareness, with Ashley sharing details of his run to his 1.8million Instagram followers on Saturday.
In a video posted on Saturday morning, Ashley sported a red T-shirt which had Azaylia printed on the back with a large 01 anniversary below.
He’s running alongside his cousin Tamika Cain and brother Matty, with the three all sporting the same outfits in the video as they ran in solidarity.
Heartfelt: Ashley began the run at a large mural created of his daughter in their hometown of Nuneaton town centre
01: He is sporting a red T-shirt which has Azaylia printed on the back with a large 01 anniversary below
The sportsman is running from Nuneaton in northern Warwickshire to London in the ultramarathon, aiming to arrive at Trafalgar Square in less than 24 hours.
As he took off, Ashley faced the camera and said: ‘ 100 miles for ‘Zailys anniversary. 100 miles for these children fighting cancer, 100 miles to try and make a difference.
‘It’s gonna be a groin, it’s gonna be tough, emotionally and physically. But compared to what Azaylia and these kids go through, it’s nothing. So we ain’t gonna stop on this run.
Solidarity: He’s running alongside his cousin Tamika Cain and brother Matty for the 100 mile challenge
Support: The trio had a massive amount of support, with cyclists and cars following behind
Making a difference: As he took off, Ashley faced the camera and said: ‘ 100 miles for ‘Zailys anniversary. 100 miles for these children fighting cancer, 100 miles to try and make a difference’
‘We don’t stop when we’re tired, we stop when we’re done. See you lot in Trafalgar Square,’ he concluded – as cyclists and cars followed him in support.
Sunday will mark a year since Azaylia’s passing, with Ashley beginning the run at a beautiful mural created of her in their hometown of Nuneaton town centre.
The run will end at Trafalgar Square’s Landseer’s Lion Statues, as they often referred to Azaylia as a ‘likkle lion’ during her fight against the cancer.
Ashley wrote in the caption of the video that ‘our children are worth more the 3%’, after previously revealing that less than 3% of cancer research funds are for children.
Sharing updates to his Story, Ashley filmed himself as he stopped for a rest, with a pal helping him out by massaging his calf.
Parade: An orange car followed behind him, flashing it’s hazard lights repeatedly
Refuel: Sharing updates to his Story, Ashley filmed himself as he stopped for a rest
Massage: A pal helped him out by massaging his calf during the pit stop
Original Article
