Martyn Richards from Dorchester is embarking on his hat trick of London Marathons. A demanding work schedule, a chest infection and, of course, snow has made training difficult but he hasn’t let any of it stop him in his aim to help more people with lung cancer have a happier outcome like his Auntie Ali:
“I’ve run the London Marathon twice before and was determined to do it again, I just needed to find the right charity to partner with. I had heard of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and as soon as I visited the website I had my heart set on being a Roy’s Runner.
“I’m running in support of my Auntie Ali (my mum’s twin sister). She was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2017.
“Looking back, she may have had symptoms for a year or so but went to see her GP after suffering from breathlessness. The GP was excellent and things moved very quickly. They ordered blood tests, the results of which raised concerns and so was sent for x-rays. That was when they found a tumour on her lung.
“Fortunately, it was caught early and treatment has been a success. Auntie Ali will still require periodic reviews with her oncologist as lung cancer never completely goes away. For now though we’re delighted and are looking forward to a big celebration on marathon day.
We know that we are incredibly lucky and far too many people are not as fortunate as Auntie Ali
Martyn’s Auntie Ali was diagnosed with early stage lung cancer
“Speaking of celebrations, three weeks after the marathon, my cousin, Anna, is getting married. Needless to say, Auntie Ali is very excited to be the mother of the bride. It’s going to be a very happy and very emotional occasion, one that we are all so grateful to get. It could have been so different.
“We know that we are incredibly lucky and far too many people are not as fortunate as Auntie Ali. Lung cancer claims move lives than any other cancer, yet it receives significant less funding than other cancers.
“That’s one of the reasons I knew I want to run this year’s marathon for Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
“I have wonderful memories of my Auntie Ali. Being mum’s twin sister, our families are very close and we have always spent a lot of time together. One of my earliest memories was of Auntie Ali taking me to the Weymouth Carnival when I was three. She bought me some chips and found it hilarious when a little old lady’s dog kept trying to steal them.
“I want other people to have the chance of such wonderful memories with the people they love.”
