A huge thank you to Victoria for choosing to support OPA Cancer Charity by taking on the Sheffield 10K in memory of Tom Mitchell, who was sadly taken from his loved ones at just 26 years old.
“On the 1st November 2025 after a short brave battle with stage 4 esophageal cancer Tom was cruelly taken from us, he was only 26 years old. Tom was a beloved son , husband , brother , grandson, nephew , cousin and friend.
Last summer before Tom passed away he ran the Sheffield 24K run , in his memory I will be running the Sheffield 10K for the OPA cancer charity. Any donations are greatly appreciated ❤️” – Victoria Keens
If you would like to support this fundraising event, click here.
Tom’s Story
“Tom was a completely devoted husband, son, brother, cousin and incredible friend. Completely selfless in all of his actions; always putting other people first. Tom was born on the 28th December 1998, to his brilliant parents Jenny and Alan Mitchell.
Moving to Brinsworth in Rotherham at a young age, he became friends with people who would stick by him for life. Later going onto study at Brinsworth Comprehensive School, where he kept adding to his roster of friends just simply through being the brilliant kid he was. He excelled in his GCSE exams and excelled in his A-levels afterwards; going onto secure a place at Newcastle University after this. This, was where he met his future wife Mel.
Mel is French, so Tom being Tom, he learnt French to impress her. That he obviously did and they fell for each other. After uni he and Mel moved to Sheffield where they eventually ended up buying a house in Chapeltown. He stayed extremely close with his family in adulthood, regularly going round to his parents and even self inviting himself and Mel round. They then got married on the 30th July 2024.
He got an extremely good job at a company called Chersoft ltd. Where he helped to develop and test the maritime navigation software they make. He now has a room dedicated to him at this company.
Outside of his accomplishments he was an incredible person, a model child for his parents, kind, caring and always begging to go out into the hills for a walk. A loving big brother to his sister Annie, always there to help her and take care of her. Helping her study for her own GCSE’s.
He also did things from a young age that people don’t do in their prime. He did the national 3 peaks challenge in 24 hours by age 10. He was an extremely avid hiker, him and Mel going on walks as much as they could with their whippet Basil. He was never selfish always putting others before himself.
Writing this as one of oldest friends I have to say I’m extremely lucky to have known him. He helped shape my early years growing up as he did with his other friends. He was obsessed with ships even going to the point of buying a game called ship simulator so he could drive them on his computer. He was extremely smart and had an insane over active brain. Always thinking, always on the go.
On the 3rd of October 2025 he was diagnosed with stage 4 oesophageal cancer after multiple misdiagnosis. After a very short battle of only 29 days, he sadly passed away at the age of 26 at Sheffield Weston park hospital. He is and always will be missed by everyone who had the luck to have been by his side at some point in his life.” – Liam Sunderland, friend of Tom Mitchell.
Liam is also fundraising for OPA Cancer Charity in memory of Tom. Alongside a group of friends, he will be taking on the National Three Peaks Challenge in 2027 to honour Tom’s memory and raise vital funds for our charity. If you would like to support Liam and the team, click here.
