Six-year-old cancer survivor taking on the Crusaders' charity run

A six-year-old Crusaders fan and cancer survivor has had the opportunity of a lifetime after joining the team as they prepare for their annual Long Run fundraiser for child cancer.

Kingston Boyd told 1News he loved the team "100%" – and, on Tuesday, he learned the feeling was mutual.

"It's inspiring just seeing how happy he is, for what he's been through and what his family's been through," said Crusaders and All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams.

"He could easily be sad, but he's not – he's loving life."

Kingston was taking an extremely difficult diagnosis of acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia B-Cell in his stride.

His Mum, Renata Boyd, said he was diagnosed in 2021 at just three years old.

"For two-and-a-half years, he had gruelling treatment," she explained.

"He didn't respond well to chemotherapy at first so they really had to ramp it up, and he couldn't maintain his weight, so he had a feeding tube and was fed through that for two years."

That meant he had to spend a lot of time on the children's cancer ward at Christchurch Hospital.

"He took the journey like a champ – racing around on bikes in the hospital with me chasing behind with all his cord being like 'be careful'," she said.

There was no stopping him when Kingston did a full 1km lap for the Crusaders' Long Run at just four years old – while also undergoing treatment.

"I was very worried and didn't intend for him to do it, but we got there and he wanted to," Renata said.

"I was very proud, really. It was just amazing."

And now, with Kingston in remission, his family, friends and the club planned to contribute 1004 laps at the event this year – the number of beads he received during treatment.

"It's important 'cause it's bigger than the game – we're role models in the community," Williams said.

"We can't understand what he's been through so the best we can do is participate, share his story, show him love, and give his family love."

The Crusade with Heart Long Run has a lofty goal to complete 50,000 laps across all participants in 2025, while also raising $250,000 for the Child Cancer Foundation. That's on top of the more than $200,000 they've already raised across the previous three events.

"We want to do stuff for the community we're a part of," Crusaders Academy director Aaron Webb said.

"A young man like him (Kingston) that's had all these struggles, all those hurdles to get over – our guys want to help him as much as they and anyone else that's helped him. It's a massive inspiration for them."

The 2025 Crusaders Long Run will be held on January 24 from 6am-6pm with all welcome to head down to Christchurch's Rugby Park to take part in the event.