A TAUNTON postie has signed up to run the London Marathon in aid of charity after his fiancée was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.
Matt Paul will raise funds for The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) after seeing Lorraine hit by triple-negative breast cancer in March 2019.
Lorraine had barely got over nine rounds of chemotherapy and was about to undergo surgery when doctors discovered she had the BRCA2 gene mutation, which increases the risk of developing breast, ovarian, prostate and other cancers.
She had a double mastectomy and is now contemplating whether to have further surgery to reduce her risk of ovarian cancer.
Matt, who also sadly lost both his parents to cancer, is running the London Marathon to support the vital work done at the ICR.
He has already raised £790 and hopes to smash his target of £2,000.
He is holding a raffle and quiz night at Norton Fitzwarren's Ring of Bells on Tuesday (September 7).
Matt said: “In the last six years, I lost both my mum and my dad to cancer.
"Then to find out Lorraine had cancer too was absolutely heart-breaking.
"Lorraine’s finished her treatment now and has turned back into her crazy self again, which is wonderful to see.
"I’m so thankful for the work of the ICR as it means we’re now in a position where we can try and safeguard against future risk.
"I don’t want anyone to go through what Lorraine and I have, and I decided to run the London Marathon for the ICR as I thought it’s time I gave something back to the people who are dedicating their lives to try and find treatments for this horrible disease.
"I originally signed up to run in 2020, but obviously the marathon was put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"I bought a treadmill during lockdown to keep going with my training, but it’s nice to be back out running on the road again."
Robin Plowman, ICR supporter events manager, said: "We’re so proud of Matt and all the other #teamICR runners.
"The coronavirus pandemic has been a challenge for us all, especially for cancer patients, and that’s why we’re so excited to run or walk together again, to raise funds for our cancer research.
"We wish Matt, and all our runners, the best of luck as they continue with their training, and we’re looking forward to cheering everybody on when the big day arrives."
To support Matt and help the ICR finish cancer, click HERE.