A TEENAGER diagnosed with cancer 18 months ago is getting ready to line up at the start at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.

Archie Hamilton and his family will be pounding the streets of the Capital and East Lothian at the weekend when they take on the challenge.

The run marks the latest step in a long journey for Archie, who was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma – a rare type of bone cancer – in October 2022.

Last year, despite undergoing gruelling treatment, he was on hand to be the official starter of the running event, which finishes in Musselburgh.

His mum Lyn is among those aiming to complete the full 26.2-mile distance. . . while pushing daughter Nancy, who was previously diagnosed with dystonia, a highly variable neurological movement disorder characterised by involuntary muscle contractions, in a running buggy.

Meanwhile, Archie is part of one of two relay teams involving family and friends covering the distance.

Lyn said: “He was determined to do it.

“He is determined to do the start, which is just amazing considering where we were last year.

“Last year, he opened it and he had just finished a five-day round of really intensive chemotherapy.

“He was really ill and thought he was going to be sick on the runners.

“He was determined last year and he said he was going to be there doing something the following year and, thankfully, we are.”

Runners in the marathon and the relay set off at 10am on Sunday.

From Edinburgh’s Potterrow, they make their way to Meadowbank and then down to the coast.

Beyond mile seven takes the competitors into East Lothian and as far as Gosford House, near Aberlady, before turning back west and finishing at Musselburgh.

Archie will take on the opening 8.3-mile leg in his relay team of four before handing over the baton.

His mum said: “He is doing alright.

“He finished chemotherapy in July last year and we have had clear scans.

“Our last one, we got a bit of a scare and thought the cancer had come back. We did other tests and scans and it had not.”

Archie’s dad Robin is taking on the final 4.4 miles in the second relay team.

Incredibly, Lyn, 46, will be pushing their daughter, Nancy, who turns 15 this summer, in a running buggy, the full marathon distance.

Lyn, who lives in Haddington, completed a marathon 20 years ago and said: “I’m not a runner!

“This is not coming naturally whatsoever and it has been hard and tough to train.

“But we have been doing it and Nancy has been brilliant in her running buggy.

“We have got up to 16.5 miles and pushing her in the running buggy is a whole different ball game.”

All those involved are completing the route in aid of Bone Cancer Research Trust.

The family previously shaved their heads for the good cause, which is dedicated to fighting primary bone cancer and is placed to make a difference through research, information, awareness and support.

Lyn added: “It is completely for a fund called Frank’s Fund.

“[Frank] did not make it but he had the same type of cancer as Archie but it came back.

“He was 15 when he passed away and I just always felt that, at the start of Archie’s journey, looking at bone cancer and reading stories, that family resonated with me. I felt a strong connection. There was a young boy, the family were lovely, and they had a miniature schnauzer and we had a miniature schnauzer.”

Donate at justgiving.com/team/archiehamilton