A WARRINGTON woman has decided to take on the London marathon to raise money in her dad's memory.
Debbie Huston lost her father, Albert Simpson, to prostate cancer in October 2021, and decided to undertake a fundraiser for Prostate Cancer Research.
Debbie has entered the London marathon, which takes place on October 2, and has joined the Prostate Cancer Research team taking on the 26.2-mile course.
Her dad gifted a donation to Prostate Cancer Research in his will, but Debbie says running the marathon for the charity will be a 'fitting tribute' to his memory.
A self-described 'fair weather runner', the furthest distance Debbie has run before is a half-marathon, meaning that this really will be a challenge for her in October.
But, Debbie's confident she will rise to the occasion and complete her challenge.
She said: "26.2 miles is a big distance that needs to be respected! I knew this was going to be a huge challenge and one that I had to take seriously, especially at 57 years of age!
"I also knew that no matter how much the training and the distance were undoubtedly going to hurt, and perhaps even break my body, it couldn’t come close to the pain I’d endured since dad’s terminal cancer prognosis in April 2021, and his ultimate passing, six months later."
Debbie is fundraising alongside her brother and sister, and their efforts have already raised more than £3,600 for Prostate Cancer Research.
She added: "I definitely owe a lot to a couple of special friends from Warrington Running club, who made me lace up my running shoes and join them for a few runs – when I didn’t have the appetite for it.
"And upon reflection, if they hadn’t, I’m not sure how I’d have coped."
If anyone would like to donate to Debbie's fundraiser for Prostate Cancer Research, they can do so here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here