Sam’s late father, Pete
A WARRINGTON teacher is to take on multiple running races throughout the year to raise awareness and funds for Pancreatic Cancer Action in memory of her father.
Sam Lawrence, 33, head of Year 10 at King’s Leadership Academy, will be running the St Illtyd’s 50k ultra marathon, Snowdonia Trail Marathon and the Chester Marathon, along with some other races during the year.
Her father, Pete, was misdiagnosed with IBS for 10 months prior to being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and sadly passed away just four weeks after this in 2016.
After Pete’s death, Sam started running to help her cope with the grief and has completed one marathon, fourteen half marathons and eight 10k runs since.
She said: “I can’t get my head around how horrendous the statistics are and how they haven’t changed in 40 years.
“I have two girls, now aged nine and eight and they have been robbed of the time to make memories with their beloved grandad, there simply wasn’t time after diagnosis to even think about a bucket-list as he went downhill so quickly. It felt like one of those horrible stories you read about but never expect to happen to you.”
Annie Whillians, events co-ordinator at Pancreatic Cancer Action said: “The determination and dedication Sam has shown in honouring and remembering her Dad through her running challenges has inspired everyone at PCA.
“I am amazed by her passion to help spread awareness of pancreatic cancer and pay tribute to her Dad, Peter, in everything she does. I’m looking forward to seeing Sam triumph in her running challenges and it’s brilliant to hear that she’s managed to convince her husband, Dave, to run the 2019 Great North Run alongside her to support not only her own personal challenges, but our mission as an organisation to change the future of pancreatic cancer.”
Pancreatic cancer is the UK’s fifth biggest cancer killer. The survival rate is under 7 per cent, which is the lowest of any cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer Action is committed to working towards earlier diagnosis of the disease so that surgery, currently the only cure, is made available to the sufferer. The charity funds research into early diagnosis, provides medical education programmes and launches national awareness campaigns.
To sponsor Sam visit her Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/runsfordad
