Captain of #TeamTiernan
As lockdown arrived, 13-year-old Tiernan Ingham was already missing his rugby. The captain of his Scarborough U13 team and selected for the East Yorkshire Developing Player Programme, he was experiencing a lot of shoulder pain, rashes and high temperatures.
His mother, Christina, kept seeking medical advice and eventually pushed for a blood test, whereupon, says Tiernan’s dad, Nick: “We had a diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukeamia (ALL) which is blood cancer. It was every parent’s worst nightmare.”
And coinciding with the pandemic said Nick: “It was doubly difficult. Tiernan was in Leeds Hospital, an hour and a half drive away, with his mum. I was at home with his younger sister Caitlin and brother Caelan. Because of the ever-changing COVID restrictions, during the six weeks of intensive chemotherapy all I could do was take food and clothes to leave at the door of the ward. Neither his siblings nor I could see him.”
That began “a long journey of three years’ chemotherapy” but as his treatment continues, Tiernan has been determined to help other youngsters in his position and to fund research to make a real difference. “Tiernan is in remission and doing well but he has a long way to go with his chemotherapy,” said his mum Christina. His team quickly grew beyond his rugby friends at Scarborough to become #TeamTiernan, fundraising for cancer charities that focus on childhood cancer.
During his hospitalisation Tiernan was given a massive boost when he received a stream of video messages of support from elite players such as James Haskell and Sam Underhill. “To receive these messages when Tiernan was so ill from the cancer and chemotherapy really picked him up” said his mum.
Still with his club and DPP
“Tiernan remains a big part of his team at Scarborough. My wife and I are immensely proud of his courage, tenacity and strength with which he approaches daily life and his treatment,” said Nick.
Selected prior to his illness Tiernan remains with the East Yorkshire DPP U16s and, without being able to take part in contact, remains part of the squad.
“Alex Grieve is the Lead of Yorkshire DPP and Yorkshire Rugby Academy and when Tiernan returned to school playing touch with his team mates, Alex said he deserved to stay with the development squad and could go back for the next block of sessions. This was a massive mental boost for him, being invited back and enabling him to train and take part without contact. That is what rugby is all about it’s an inclusive sport.”
Nick played rugby for the Royal Navy at U21 level and once he retired from the services he returned home in 2007 to play for Scarborough which included captaincy of the team for three seasons. Nick’s professional career in Offshore Wind has taken him around the world and he’s played for several teams including two seasons in Taiwan for the Taipei Baboons which as Nick says “is a proper grassroots rugby club that exudes everything that we love about our sport”. Since retiring from rugby, he is now Director of Rugby for the youth section at Scarborough RUFC.”
Fundraising Support
The club and Tiernan’s other teammates and family friends have taken part in various fundraising events, including a head shave alongside Tiernan and Nick, while Caitlin has used her artistic skills to paint and sell stones and Scarborough First XV have taken on a 3000 press ups challenge in November in aid of The Teenage Cancer Trust, spearheaded by Scarborough Club Coach Matty Jones. Last year Nick’s work colleagues in Taiwan cycled and ran the combined distance of Taipei to the UK which raised over £2000.
“As a family we have so much gratitude for those who have supported our fundraising. The impact for these charities is much more than financial gain; raising awareness is just as important,” said Tiernan’s mum Christina. #TeamTiernan was also lucky to receive the support of Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer Matthew ‘Buster’ Brown performed a number of elite events during 2021 in support of #TeamTiernan including rowing the distance from Portsmouth to the Ingham’s home in Filey.
Tiernan’s dad, Nick along with several other officials from Scarborough also recently joined RFU President Jeff Blackett and wife Sally on their Yorkshire leg of the RFU President’s 150 Walk. Nick spent some time walking with Jeff and explained Tiernan’s story. Nick Said: “It was a pleasure to walk with Jeff and to explain the impact of childhood cancer not only on my family but also on Tiernan’s teammates who have been touched by this. Cancer affects our rugby family on a daily basis from the upper levels of the sport all the way down to the bottom tiers and it was reassuring to hear how the RFU are looking at ways to further support the mental health of our rugby community”.
The Ingham family set up #TeamTiernan to give back to the charities that have directly supported Tiernan and other children with cancer and they have now raised over £17,000. Now 15, Tiernan is a true inspiration. His physical and mental strength, positivity, humour and maturity sees him determined to help and to raise awareness of childhood cancer.
