Back to Back marathons for Adam and Robyn

31st August 2011: Aldershot resident John Harper, 37, and Pirbright resident Emile Upton, 30, are hoping to raise £2,000 for the Neuroblastoma Children's Cancer Alliance by running 53 miles from Pirbright to Southsea.

The Neuroblastoma Alliance UK, which was until recently known as the 2Simple Trust, helps children and families affected by neuroblastoma by providing financial assistance for children's treatment. The money John and Emile raise for the charity will be split equally between two local children that suffer from neuroblastoma.

Epsom resident Adam Bird, 7, and Frimley resident Robyn Higgins, 9, are currently receiving treatment for neuroblastoma in Germany and USA respectively. The treatment they are receiving is not available in the UK, so the families had to fundraise with the help of their local community and the Neuroblastoma Alliance UK to pay for treatment abroad.

John and Emile plan to run from Brookwood, near Pirbright, to South Parade Pier at Southsea, a distance of approximately 53 miles. They will set off at 8pm on Wednesday 31st August, and hope to arrive at the pier within 12 hours.

"We wanted to do something to help local children with cancer," said John. "The longest charity run I've done before is a half-marathon, so this will be quite a challenge. I wanted to set a tough challenge to reflect, in a small way, the courage and determination that Adam and Robyn show each day in battling neuroblastoma."
 
The route followed by John and Emile covers primarily A roads between Pirbright and Southsea. They will be illuminated with glow sticks and lights to ensure that passing cars spot them and will have a support vehicle that will meet them at various points en route.

"The support vehicle is mostly there to make sure we have constant access to food and drink and that we don't go the wrong way," said John. "It's quite hard to navigate at night, especially when you are knackered, and we might end up running a lot further if we go the wrong way! I'm hoping they'll be relatively few cars on the road as it's a Wednesday night."

John and Emile have been training over the last few months to build up their endurance. "We haven't got a set training plan, but have slowly built up from 5 to 10, then 15 to 20 miles," said John.

Alison Moy, Chief Executive of the Neuroblastoma Alliance said: "We are so grateful to John and Emile for doing this event to raise money for Adam and Robyn. The money they raise will help pay for any treatment that Adam or Robyn need in the future in their ongoing battle against neuroblastoma."

Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer diagnosed in the first year of life. It accounts for around 15 percent of cancer deaths in children and around 100 children are diagnosed every year in the UK.

The Neuroblastoma Alliance, which was established in 2006, helps children and families affected by neuroblastoma by providing financial assistance for treatment and funding clinical research into the disease. For more information about the charity, visit www.childrenscancer.org.uk

To support John and Emile, visit their fundraising page.