Buxton runner taking on London Marathon for Cancer Research UK in memory of beloved grandad

Marketing worker Rebecca Brown, 30, will be taking on the 26.2 mile race on Sunday, October 3, and as will be pushed all the way by fond thoughts of Maurice, who died in March 2020 at the age of 79.

She has been putting in miles and miles of training every Saturday on the hills around Buxton, accompanied by her mum Julie, Maurice’s daughter.

Rebecca said: “While this is still a difficult time for my family, his joyful personality will always bring many positive thoughts to mind.

“He had a beaming smile and a good appetite for humour and food. His laugh practically echoed across the hills of the High Peak and his love of football meant he would always cheer loudly for both sides.”

She added: “I’m running the marathon to celebrate his life and help others who might find themselves in a similar position. Money donated today could go towards trials and new drugs that could offer people like my grandad more hope and the chance of beating cancer.”

Maurice was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of the disease in 2018, and as Rebecca watched him endure 18 months of treatment it proved an eye-opening experience.

She said: “You hear the statistic that one in three people will get cancer in their lifetime, but you never realise just how real this is until it happens to someone you love.

“When I was first told the news, I was perhaps a little bit naïve. With so many treatments available as well as his positive outlook on life, I was confident that he would pull through.”

Rebecca added: “For most people, myself included, regular visits to the hospital and the daily pain would bring your spirits down, however my grandad remained optimistic and even tried to search for trials that would help his type of the disease. Sadly, the cancer was just too rare.”

“I’m raising funds not only to help find new cures and treatments but to also gain more knowledge about those rare cancers.”

Rebecca is aiming to raise £3,000 and is almost halfway there already. To add to her total, go to https://bit.ly/3k6lg7L.

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