Dad climbs 3 mountains while carrying weight of late daughter

By Adam Dutton

A grieving dad has completed the Three Peaks challenge wearing a vest the weight of his late daughter so he could "carry her with him" every step of the way.

Nathan Norris, 44, tackled the grueling task with four mates in honor of his late daughter Zoë, who died from cancer in 2017.

The tragic youngster passed away aged just 21 months after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Nathan completed the mammoth challenge on April 17 wearing a 22-pound vest — the same weight Zoë was when she died — in a moving tribute to his late daughter.

And he managed to climb the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales — Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon — in under 24 hours, clocking up a time of 23 hours and 37 minutes.

Nathan, of Stockport, Greater Manchester, said he chose to wear the weighted vest so he could "carry Zoë throughout the whole challenge."

Strength and conditioning coach Nathan said: "It was the weight Zoë was when she passed.

"The idea was I'm carrying her through the whole challenge.

"It was quite emotional finishing with Zoë and all our family and friends were there.

"Wearing the vest was tough. I could feel it in my legs but I was determined to do it in her name.

"A couple of the guys offered to carry the weight vest, or Zoë as it was, but I carried it for her.

"For me it was part of the significance of doing it and digging in and showing the significance of the resilience my daughter showed through treatment.

"Grief is something that you carry every day and bereavement is something that you carry every day — it was also an expression of that."

The group managed to defy the odds and complete the trek with 23 minutes to spare, despite 14-degree-below-zero conditions and road blocks in Scotland.

Nathan added: "I've never done anything like this before, I haven't had a challenge like it before.

"We had a few weather challenges, mainly that it was -10 at the top of Ben Nevis and snow.

"We had wintry conditions which made it more interesting."

Nathan's challenge has so far raised more than $11,500 in aid of the Zoë Hope Fund, part of The Children's & Young People's Cancer Association.

He added: "Zoë passed away at 21 months with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She was diagnosed at four months and had 18 months worth of treatment.

"We started the Zoë Hope Fund in 2024 as we didn't realize how little of the research funds for cancer went towards child leukemia.

"For national funds for cancer research only 2% goes towards children's cancer including leukemia, which is really poor.

"There's a complete lack of funds and research. A lot of the treatment and drugs are outdated.

"When our daughter was going through treatment in 2015, the consultant said a lot of the treatment were archaic as they hadn't had the funds to update this.

"We want safer treatment for children and it's about looking at cancer treatments that are more effective for survival."

Like other families who have turned grief into fundraising for cancer research, Nathan and his wife are pushing forward in their daughter's memory.

Zoë's mom Laura added: "Part of why Nathan came up with this idea is to mark carrying Zoë with him as he does every day, but also the weight that bereaved families carry with them.

"In bereavement you move forwards, but you always carry them with them. The fund for us is really continuing Zoë's legacy, the impact she had on us and her beauty."

Ashley Ball-Gamble, CEO of CCLG: The Children & Young People's Cancer Association, said: "We'd like to say a huge thank you to Nathan and Laura and all their supporters for all they do in memory of Zoë.

"Their efforts are helping us to fund groundbreaking research that will drive progress in treatment and care so that children not only survive their cancer but do so with fewer long-term side effects.

"Nathan and his team's challenge, and the poignancy of his weighted vest tribute to Zoë, shines a light on the stark reality of childhood cancer, and the need to keep pushing forward to create change for other families facing a childhood cancer diagnosis in the future."

The campaign joins a growing list of community-driven cancer fundraisers drawing public support online.

Donations can be made here.