WHEN it comes to raising awareness of childhood cancer they already talk the talk.

And now a group of charity campaigners have proved they can walk the walk, too.

The message was loud and clear as 150 Be Child Cancer Aware supporters turned out for a special Walk of Courage in Basildon.

They strode boldly from Sainsbury’s Nevendon supermarket, all the way to Basildon town centre and Basildon hospital, before circling back to the store, which has made Be Child Cancer Aware its charity of the year.

Sunday’s walk was organised by charity co-founders John and Sarah Drummond, whose son Ted – known as Super Ted – battled through cancer and a deadly bout of septacemia when he was just six months old Ted, now seven, was one of many young cancer survivors who completed the walk – some of them needing a little support or a push along the way.

Mr Drummond, from Wickford, said: “The determination of everyone who took part, especially the children, was fantastic.

“We had a brilliant day and the weather was lovely for the walkers.

“The atmosphere was electric, with lots of people putting donations into the buckets along the walk. Cars were driving past and bibbing us. The whole point was to raise awareness of how cancer is killing our children, but how we are fighting back.”

It’s estimated the walk will raise at least £2,000 for Be Child Cancer Aware, which is run entirely by volunteers.

The event also co-incided with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Statistics suggest about 4,000 British children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer this year – with three out of every ten failing to survive.

Even more alarmingly, the cause of most childhood cancers is still unknown.

One of the biggest successes to date for Be Child Cancer Aware is its Beads of Courage programme, which gives young sufferers a multi-coloured bead for every treatment, operation and procedure theyendure, and has now spread nationwide.

Mr Drummond said the success of the programme was now beyond everyone’s expectation.

He added: “It’s hard to imagine just three years ago, when we first introduced the programme in the UK at Basildon Hospital, we had about 15 children start.

“Today, we have more than 70 hospitals supporting more than 4,000 children in England and all over the British Isles.”

Many young cancer patients proudly brought along their beads for the walk, while younger children hugged their “Oliphants” – cuddly toys which are an emblem of the charity.

The toys are named after a little boy called Oliver Shaw, who died of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia a week after his 12th birthday, after a valiant five year fight.

His mum, Frances, has since become an inspiration in her work to support the charity.