A LOVING mum is to run a half-marathon in Cambodia in memory of her 12-year-old son after he tragically died of cancer.

Bella Thomson’s son Sam always joined his mother for the tail end of any running event she took part in.

The pair had agreed to do the Siem Reap half-marathon, in Cambodia, together when Sam turned 16 – the age he would be now – but the sports-mad youngster sadly passed away four years ago after being diagnosed with a desmoplastic small round cell tumour (DSRCT) in January 2015.

Next month, Bella will take part in the run at iconic temple complex and UNESCO World Heritage site Angkor Wat to raise cash for Rob’s ARTTT – a charity which aims to fund research and raise awareness of DSRCT.

She told the Barrhead News: “It didn’t matter if I ran a 10k or a half-marathon, Sam would always run the last kilometre with me, which was very sweet of him.

“He was very positive and very sporty. He loved running and was tall and skinny, so it suited him well.

“I promised him we would do this run together but, obviously, that can never happen now, not physically.”

Scientists are still trying to unlock the secrets of DSRCT – a rare, aggressive tumour which primarily affects young males.

“They don’t quite know why this particular age group is affected by this cancer and what the trigger is, so this run is to raise both awareness and funds,” said Bella.

“The charity has raised more than £293,000 over the years but they are hoping to reach £300,000 by the end of this year.”

Sam’s dad Kerr is one of the Thomsons from Neilston’s Killoch Farm and the couple and their two children lived there until they moved to Thailand when Sam was about three.

The couple are now based in Cambodia, where Kerr is a company director for an Australian construction firm, but they returned home while Sam received treatment in Scotland.

Prior to his diagnosis, they used to travel back for summers at the farm, creating memories that 48-year-old Bella will always treasure.

She added: “We had great times. We used to go bramble picking and, being a farm, they had great fun watching the sheep shearing and looking at the Highland cows.”

To support Bella’s fundraising efforts, visit gofundme.com/f/sam-and-bella039s-charity-half-marathon.