Noa Woolloff attempting 77km run over 48 hours to raise money for Otis Rasch-Hill

Noa Woolloff is preparing for an epic running challenge to raise funds for a friend who is battling cancer.

Noa Woolloff has set himself a gruelling endurance challenge in a bid to raise much-needed funds for his ill friend.

He intends to run a whopping 77km over 48 hours next month as a fundraiser for Otis Rasch-Hill, 16, who has been diagnosed with one of the rarest cancers in the world - desmoplastic small round cell tumours.

Woolloff has created a Givealittle page called 48 Hour Run For Otis, where he hopes to raise $5000.

It will help with the broader fundraising, on another Givealittle page called Otis's Fight With Cancer, which aims to raise $500,000.

Otis' parents Rachel and Tyson are looking at all options with surgery a possibility when the stage four tumours in his heart, neck and lungs begin to shrink from chemotherapy.

St George Hospital, in Sydney, is willing to operate on Otis, if his next scans look good, but surgery costs are over $283,000.

Earlier this year Otis started experiencing stomach pains which soon led to the diagnosis of desmoplastic small round cell tumours.

"It's one of the rarest cancers in the world and I think there have only been 200 reported cases worldwide, and it's in stage four," Woolloff said.

"At the time it was detected, it had spread throughout his body, so absolutely crazy to have your whole world flipped upside down.

"Otis is just a normal teenage kid so to have this thrown at you is your worst nightmare but he's an absolute champion who is staying so strong throughout it."

Otis Rasch-Hill.

Woolloff, who used to live in Raumati South and Paekākāriki, will be undertaking the challenge in Mana.

"The intention for the run is to raise more awareness for Otis and his condition so he can get enough money to fund the surgery which he desperately needs.

"I will put myself in a bit of pain with this endurance challenge but it will be nothing compared to what he's been dealt with this year by being diagnosed with cancer and originally only being given three months to live.

"But he's beating the odds and I just hope with more money and awareness that he can continue to do so."

Woolloff, who has only given himself a month to train, intends to run 6.4km every four hours, for 48 hours straight, totalling 77km, from November 11-13.

"I've just been on my longest run, which was 8km, and I've hurt my Achilles tendon.

"I don't know if it's supposed to be feeling like that or if it's just the reality of running.

"But I don't come from a running background. I've done one half marathon in my life which was about three years ago and then I broke my ankle.

"So I definitely haven't been training a lot but I'm keen to get into it."

The challenge was based on one devised by ex-Navy Seal and endurance athlete David Goggins.

"He does this run in March and it has become a worldwide event.

"It's four miles every four hours for 48 hours.

"It's not necessarily the distance which will get you but the sleep deprivation and running on the hour every hour.

"I'll see how I go but will have Otis for motivation."