Couple plan to take on two major marathons, in two weeks, for cancer charity

Karen and Dave Allen are holding a major fundraiser for the charity later this year and are urging people to buy tickets to enjoy a night out, for a good cause.

The Gala evening will be held on November 4 at Casey's Cordingley Hall, Telford, and will include a three-course dinner and entertainment by singer, Andy O'Brien.

It will be Karen's sixth marathon, having only taken up running when she met her now husband.

Next year the pair are not only running London together on April 21, they will be running the Brighton Marathon two weeks before.

Karen said: "When I first met him, Dave's nephew was in his 20s and having treatment for mouth cancer. He had also had leukaemia as a child.

"I signed up for my first marathon - in October 2021 - when in hospital recovering from complications from urgent hysterectomy to remove a 15cm tumour.

"I looked at various charities that I could support and Children with Cancer UK struck a chord. I was going through something pretty horrendous as an adult. I couldn't imagine either going through cancer as a child or being a parent with a child with cancer."

Since that first marathon Karen has continued to support the charity.

"It is so supportive and you meet families who have lost children with cancer or who have had cancer and you get to hear their stories. My daughter's friend at school also sadly passed away with cancer and it really hit home just how devastating cancer it."

She said the charity raised money to help fund research so children didn't have to undergo such a gruelling time with treatment.

Tickets for the gala dinner, £40, are available from Karen - contact 07975 541880 or karenj0302@gmail.com.