YOUNG Oliver Smith has always been a keen runner but he’s set to put his hobby to the test to raise funds for the charity which supported his dad after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

In August, 40-year-old Tom Smith received the devastating news that he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour following months of complications with his eyesight.

The assistant principal at Outwood Academy Carlton told the Chronicle he fought for his diagnosis.

He said: “Over about an 18-month period or so I noticed that my sight in my left eye has started to become quite blurry.

“I left it because I thought that it was down to stress but it didn’t improve so I got an online doctor app which said I should see my GP and go to an opticians.

“I had an eye test at Specsavers who said that the make up of my eye was fine and it must be something else.

“The GP referred me to Barnsley Hospital who initially didn’t pick up on it but I went back and that’s when I was referred for an MRI.

“I was told that I had a brain tumour and it was attached to the optic nerve on my left eye.”

Tom had the tumour - which measured around four centimetres - removed in an operation in December after doctors acted quickly before it spread.

He added: “I was booked in for it done on December 22 and it was quite a big operation which took around 12 hours.

“It left a lot of trauma on my face - I still have a black eye.

“The scar goes from one side of my head to the other and I had to have 47 staples put in.

“I’ve been recovering since then.”

Throughout the process, Tom and his family have been supported by the Brain Tumour Charity.

And after recently turning nine, Oliver decided he wanted to do something to pay them back for all the support they’ve provided.

Tom said: “Oliver wanted to do something for the charity because of how they supported us.

“My wife, Hannah, is running the London Marathon in April and he’s just turned nine so he said he wants to run nine marathons before she does that.

“He loves running so it’s something that he wants to do.

“I just feel so lucky that I’ve come out of the other side in good shape and that people are willing to support us like this.”

Oliver originally set a £2,000 target but he’s already smashed that.

Tom said: “The support we’ve received is incredible.

“He managed to raise more than £2,000 before he even started his first run.

“People have been really impressed and inspired by what he’s doing.

“What’s really humbling is that people are donating who we don’t even know.

“I’m so proud of Oliver.

“I’m not in the position to do these things myself so the fact that people are supporting us is amazing.”