A marathon man whose family was hit by a heart-breaking double cancer blow is set to pound the streets of London this month with his wife at his side, inspired by the memories of his mother and grandma.
Andy Farquhar, of Woodside, lost his mother Elizabeth to bowel cancer aged just 49 in 2008.
At the start of this year, his grandma Betty died after a short but brave battle with the same illness, aged 80.
The 40-year-old, who works as a transport co-ordinator for ARR Craib Transport Ltd, shared how he received the devastating news that his mother was ill, and how she bravely soldiered on.
He said: “Me and Marie had just come back from holiday when she told us. She didn’t want to tell us until we got home. She didn’t want to talk about the diagnosis, she was more interested in our holiday, as mums are.
“She died about 18 months later. She was only given about three or four months to live by the doctor but she was stubborn.”
He added: “My mum was ill for a longer period. But for my gran it was just a quick illness, which wasn’t so bad, not that you want something like that to happen.”
Mr Farquhar is battling back from the heartache to raise cash for Bowel & Cancer Research, a London-based charity looking into cures for the disease.
He has been training alongside wife Marie, 38, who will be running for Children With Cancer. They will be cheered on by Mr Farquhar’s sister Lyn Gray, her husband Leighton and their children Isabella, 11, and Ruben, eight, who live in London.
He said: “It makes a real difference to have people cheering you on – it gives you a lift just when your body is giving up,” said Andy, who hopes to finish in around four hours.”
He added: “This is my fifth time doing a marathon, but it’s the first time I’m doing it for the charity.
“The charity has asked me to raise £2,500, and I think I’m past that already. People have been really kind.
“I wouldn’t say they were easy. I’ve had quite a varied training plan this time. I’ve been out running two or three times a week but I’ve been doing local 10Ks and half marathons as well to try and get a bit more competitive.
“I’d like to break four hours, but London is quite busy and I think it’s quite hard to get away at the start. It’ll be a bit of a surreal experience because the other marathons I’ve done have been quite isolated. I think it’ll be good seeing yourself on the TV screens and having people cheering all the way round.”
Deborah Gilbert, chief executive of Bowel & Cancer Research, said: “Our aim is to make sure that no one should die of bowel cancer in future and we can only do that with the support of our brilliant fundraisers.”
Anyone who wants to support Mr Farquhar can do so by donating at www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndrewFarquhar3