Last updated at 11:49, Friday, 23 November 2012

A Workington man who has lost his mother and a close friend to cancer will run from London to Maryport to raise money for West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

Graham Thompson, 32, of Warwick Place, aims to raise £2,000 for the Henderson Suite where his friend Saranne Wilkinson was treated for cancer before she died in March.

Graham’s mum Linda Thompson also died from a combination of pneumonia and cancer last month.

He will run from London with best friend Colin Stables, 32, of Lime Grove, Maryport, who went to Netherhall School with both Saranne and Graham.

They will set off from the London Eye at 10am tomorrow, running about 37 miles a day. They will finish their journey at the Captain Nelson pub in Maryport next Sunday which is coincidentally Saranne’s birthday.

Graham said: “We didn’t plan that. It’s a fitting tribute to her.”

There will be a celebration at the Captain Nelson to welcome them home, with an auction, raffle and entertainment planned. This will be open for everyone to attend.

They have been supported by local businesses including Key 2 Sports and Nutrition in Workington, which has donated protein shakes and other nutrients, and Forth Engineering in Flimby, which has donated a support van for the journey.

You can sponsor their run online at www.gofundme.com/1c79qw

First published at 11:09, Friday, 23 November 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk