Mark Warren, of Audio Visual Services at Keele University, is putting his best foot forward to raise money for the hospice which cared for his father in his last days.
Mark, who lives in Crewe, will take part in the Bupa Great North 10K in Sunderland this week (JULY 12) to raise money for St Luke’s Hospice in Winsford.
The 45-year-old will then tackle the 13-mile Great North Run in September. He chose the two runs in the North-East as his family are originally from that area.
Mark’s father Pete was diagnosed with prostate cancer 10 years ago and was taken into St Luke’s in December last year before losing his battle in January.
Fundraising for St Luke’s is a family affair as Mark’s mother Brenda has recently completed the 13-mile Midnight Walk from Nantwich to Crewe and back. His children, Thomas, aged 8, and six-year-old Abby, and their friends will soon be taking part in a sponsored walk around their school playing fields to raise money for the hospice.
Mark said: “The staff at St Luke’s not only look after the patients but also the families, and they can only be described as angels. The way they looked after my Mum was amazing in her most desperate days.
“St. Luke’s holds a very special place in my heart, and always will, and I would like to raise as much as I can for them by doing my ‘little bit’. I decided to do a run as it would also be a personal challenge to me. I could have done a parachute jump but this wouldn’t really have challenged me as much.”
Mark describes himself as “a stranger to exercise” but has been training hard at the Leisure Centre at Keele University and doing cycle rides and road runs to prepare for his challenge.
If anyone would like to sponsor Mark please visit his fundraising website at http://www.justgiving.com/running4pete
