The Griffiths and Alphonso families from Cleobury Mortimer supported by their local community have raised nearly quarter of a million pounds in memory of their loved ones, Toby and Rick who passed away from blood cancer in 2025.
Toby Griffiths was 22 when he was diagnosed in November 2023 but unfortunately despite a number of blood transfusions, several rounds of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant from his brother Charlie, Toby sadly passed away on 25th July 2025.
The Griffiths family joined fundraising forces with Debbie Alphonso who lost her husband Rick in August 2025, just 12 days after being diagnosed with Leukaemia.
In 2026 the families have been fundraising for blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia, which has seen them take on a number of challenges and bring their community together to raise over £225,000.
In May 2026, Stuart, his son Charlie Griffiths and six close friends completed Land’s End to John O’Groats, riding 1,000-plus-mile cycle ride across the UK, raising over £36,000.
Toby’s mum, Katie, along with 30 friends took on the gruelling 22-mile Bridgnorth Lions Walk in May, raising over £16,000.
Stuart Griffiths, Toby’s father added: “It’s part of Toby’s legacy for us, and how well he and Rick were thought of in the local community. We hope that with the money raised we can help others have been going through the same thing that we have”.
After losing two members of the local community to leukaemia, Louis and Sally Staddon approached the families of Toby Griffiths and Rick Alphonso to suggest organising a clay pigeon shoot in aid of Cure Leukaemia.
The Staddon family gave up months of their time, their home and their staff and in June hosted a “Clays for a Cure” event, which was well supported by the local shooting and farming community, raising an incredible £165,000
In July, Debbie led a small team of friends to complete the National 3 Peaks Challenge, raising £7,500 and her son Marcus Alphonso will be running the London Marathon 2027 for Cure Leukaemia in memory of his father.
Marcus, Rick’s son spoke about their fundraising since his father passing: “Leukaemia was never really on our radar as a family. The rate in which it affected us didn’t just affect us personally but opened our eyes to all those who are going through something similar. It’s been really helpful for us personally to feel like you’re doing something in their memory and that something meaningful comes out of it”
In total, the families have raised a staggering £225,000 for Cure Leukaemia which will be used to support the funding of national clinical trials networks that enable advancements in treatments for those affected by blood cancer.
James McLaughlin, Cure Leukaemia Chief Executive commented on the families huge fundraising efforts “We thank the Griffiths, Alphonso and Staddon families for their remarkable fundraising efforts in memory of Toby and Rick. The families fundraising will cement Cure Leuakaemia’s funding across clinical trials networks and to continue our funding of the AML Registry, which will continue to grow and hopefully find new ways to combat this horrible disease”.