Community / ‘Emotional day’ as fundraising family run half marathon for dad after terminal diagnosis
THE SUN was shining on Saturday for a trio of siblings who took on a fundraising half-marathon challenge in honour of their dad, who was diagnosed with a rare terminal illness last year.
More than £9,500 has been raised by the Thomson family so far for the MSA Trust, which supports people affected by multiple system atrophy.
Kara, Kelly and Darren Thomson ran the 13.1 mile distance in fine weather on Saturday, with their dad David on hand to congratulate them after they passed the finishing line.
They were also joined by David’s niece Alina Murray, while friend Colin Summers was involved in the fundraising efforts too.
David was diagnosed with multiple system atrophy, a rare condition of the nervous system that causes gradual damage to nerve cells in the brain, in October last year at the age of 65. It has no cure, and no known cause.
“I would like to thank my bairns Kelly, Darren and Kara along with my good friend Colin Summers and my niece Alina Murray for running the half marathon for the MSA Trust,” he said.
“I am immensely grateful and proud of them for doing this. Also to everyone who contributed to this very personal cause, Elizabeth and myself are blown away with how much you have raised. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.”
Kara said the route was around Wadbister and Tingwall.
“We were lucky to have folk cheering us on from their houses and tooting from their cars,” she said.
“We were greeted by close friends and family at the finishing line in Wadbister and had some celebratory drinks and a barbecue to finish off a very emotional, surreal day.”
The fundraiser is still open for another week, and folk can donate here.
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