Uncle's run for Toots back on track as Matilda prepares for major surgery

Daniel Boswell set his sights on completing a one-day 100 kilometre run from Albury to Wagga in March, but was set back due to injury.

It's the second time Mr Boswell has had to delay the run after a stress fracture in his left leg forced him off the road and into a moon boot for three weeks.

"I honestly wasn't able to run for like four to five weeks, it was quite a lengthy stint off the feet," Mr Boswell said.

Now he's fully recovered and has June 22 ringed in red for the journey up the Olympic Highway to support nine-year-old Matilda and her family.

Matilda started feeling sick in November and was flown to Sydney Children's Hospital, where she started chemotherapy one week after her diagnosis of Rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of cancer that affects soft tissue.

Matilda might not be back in Wagga to cheer her uncle on as he makes his way into town, with the family en route to Sydney for surgery.

It's Matilda's first major surgery since her diagnosis and they will be operating on her diaphragm to remove the tumour on June 12, mum Kate Howard said.

"She's had six months of intense chemotherapy trying to shrink this massive tumour that pretty much took up her whole torso," Mrs Howard said.

"After she has her surgery she'll complete her last intense round of chemotherapy and then begin some radiotherapy, then begin 11 months of maintenance chemotherapy."

Matilda's father Chris Howard said the surgery ushers in a nervous time for his daughter and the family, but her uncle's efforts in fundraising has been a great support for them during this trying time.

"For him to commit to do that distance, it was quite amazing for him to put himself out there," Mr Howard said.

"The amount of time and training and effort he's gonna have to put into training, he's putting that aside just to try and help us out and make awareness."

Toots' battle motivated Mr Boswell to continue his training when he recovered.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page for the family has raised almost $70,000, with the runner contributing at least another $2500 through a fundraiser on his 6ftRunClub Instagram page.

"I would never have imagined that I would be running for my family, but here we are," Mr Boswell said.

"I've got a five-year-old daughter, it just hits home a lot more when you've got your own kids, especially when it's your own family."

"She [Matilda] is tracking well at the moment... she's matured up since all this and she's been in quite high spirits, like you wouldn't even think that she's going through what she's going through.

"You wouldn't wish it upon anyone, especially a bloody nine-year-old."