He came to save me: the story of baby Rio and the team running in his name
For Alice and Jodie, Sophia Gibson is more than a friend; she’s family. "Sophia has been one of my best friends for as long as I can remember," says Jodie. Now, watching Sophia navigate the unimaginable, that friendship has taken on a new meaning. "She has become one of my strongest friends," Jodie adds. "Her story is so inspiring."
That inspiration has turned into action. This year, Alice and Jodie are taking on the Cancer Research UK Race for Life in Blackpool. They'll be joined by Sophia's fiancé, Ashton Forbes, creating Team "Rio's Run." They are running for Sophia as she battles a rare cancer. But most of all, they are running to honour the short, precious life of Sophia and Ashton's son, Rio, a little boy they believe saved his mother’s life.
A Terrifying Discovery
Sophia's journey began last November. At 20 years old, what she dismissed as a strange, heavy period was something far more serious. A trip to A&E delivered a whirlwind of news. First, the shock of an unexpected pregnancy. Then, the immediate heartbreak of being told she was likely miscarrying.
Days later, a scan revealed a miracle: her baby was okay. "We were so, so happy," Sophia recalls. "Just knowing you have this life inside of you makes you ready to love this little life more than life itself." But that joy was shadowed by a growing fear. Doctors had found a large mass in her cervix.
On February 20, 2025, a day Sophia says she will never forget, the diagnosis came. It was stage 4 high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The news was baffling. Lymphoma typically appears in the lymph nodes, not the cervix. The doctors were clear: if it hadn't been for the pregnancy-related bleeding, the cancer might have gone undiscovered for much longer. Sophia faced an impossible choice: begin chemotherapy to save her life, knowing it could affect the baby boy she was carrying.
"I felt powerful, like I’d finally made the first step into getting my healthy, happy self back," Sophia says of starting her first round of chemo. But it came with constant worry.
For the Love of Rio
Just as they were steeling themselves for the fight, their world shattered again. A 20-week scan revealed their son, whom they planned to name Rio, had severe and life-limiting complications. The foetal medicine team in Manchester confirmed their worst fears.
Sophia and Ashton were faced with a decision no parent should ever have to make. They were told that to continue the pregnancy would lead to a quality of life they didn't want for their son. So, with boundless love and courage, they chose to let him go peacefully.
On March 12, 2025, Celerio Derek "Rio" Forbes was born. He was tiny, weighing just 280 grams, but he was alive. The doctors had warned that he might not survive the delivery, but he did. For two precious hours, he was here.
"He was with us for 2 hours, born at 10.15 am, surrounded by everyone who loved him most, his mummy and his daddy, his grandparents and his aunties. We named him Celerio Derek Forbes, but just Rio for short, he fell asleep in my arms at 12.10 pm".
A Run to Heal, A Fight to Win
In the wake of such profound loss, how do you find the strength to go on? For Sophia's friends, the answer was action.
"I’m beyond proud of the strength, resilience, and courage she has shown," says Alice. "She is absolutely incredible, the strongest woman I know, and is an inspiration to us all." Running felt like the only way to fight back against a feeling of helplessness. "We dedicate our run to Sophia’s beloved son, baby Rio, who we sadly lost during Sophia’s battle with cancer. He is always in our hearts and thoughts, and we hope to make him proud," Alice adds.
Ashton, running alongside them, carries the memory of his son with every step. The couple's love has been a constant anchor, and just days after losing Rio, they got engaged, a defiant spark of light in the darkness. "Rio would have been so happy for his mummy & daddy," Sophia says.
Sophia’s fight is far from over. The chemotherapy is gruelling, and she admits the sickness and exhaustion are "next level." But there is hope. Recent scans show the mass has been reduced, and her sixth and final round of chemo is scheduled for June 18, 2025.
She is certain that Rio had a purpose.
"My baby boy came to me in a way for me to find out about my cancer, then he left me so I could continue with my cancer journey on my own... He came to save me, my baby boy was so strong, he was so strong, he saved a life and sacrificed himself".
The Blackpool community continues to rally around Sophia, Ashton, and their friends. You can join them in honouring Rio's memory and supporting the fight to beat cancer.
To read more from the team and contribute to their fundraising goal for Cancer Research UK, you can visit their official team page: